It is not true—Police

IYC, others accuse military of breaching truce

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, Egufe Yafugborhi, Perez Brisibe & Akpokona Omafuaire

WARRI—THE fragile ceasefire agreement between the Federal Government and militants in the Niger Delta region,  came under threat, yesterday, as  Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, blew up a Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, pipeline in Oruk Anan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.

It will be recalled that also in breach of the ceasefire, soldiers on Wednesday, swooped on Tebijor, also known as Okpelama, an Ijaw  community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, in  five gunboats hunting  for militants.

Meanwhile, Akwa Ibon State  Commissioner of Police, Mr Murtala Mani, yesterday,  refuted an alleged explosion of pipelines at Ikot Osutek, Oruk-Anam Local Government Area of the state by NDA.

Mani said in Uyo that the alleged vandalism was an accident caused by a leakage in the gas pipelines.

He said that it was a technical problem and that some engineers from Port Harcourt were working to rectify the leakage.

Kachikwu brokers peace

Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, during his visit to ancestral home of ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, on Thursday, June 16, 2016.

NDA’s attack came hours after the Minister of State, Petroleum and Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, managed to secure an understanding for total peace in a closed-door with strategic stakeholders, Wednesday, at Asaba, Delta State.

NDA claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred at 4a.m., and which many see as a reprisal for the invasion of Tebujor, an Ijaw community in Warri South-West on Wednesday, by soldiers.

Soldiers continue patrol

A Tebujor villager called Vanguard on phone at 12p.m., saying: “Soldiers are still patrolling our area with several gunboats, but unlike Tuesday when they entered and molested people, they have not entered today (yesterday).”

Kachikwu’s diplomacy in Delta

Vanguard gathered that the meeting in Asaba, which had Governor  Ifeanyi Okowa, spokesperson of Gbaramatu Council of Chiefs, GTC, and Chief Mobilizer of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Godspower Gbenekama and another Gbaramatu leader,  Chief Daniel Ekpebide in attendance was eye-catching.

Also at the meeting were Itsekiri leader and All Progressives Congress, APC chieftain, Chief Ayiri Emami and Okerenkoko leader, Chief Michael Johnny, also an APC stalwart, who with Emami, have not wavered in their battle against Avengers and other militants bombing oil and gas installations in the state.

Kachikwu at the gathering stressed the need for all sides to reach out to the perpetrators to halt the current bombings and allow the oil companies to repair damaged pipelines for oil to flow again.

IYC, others finger military

The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, worldwide, yesterday, expressed doubt about the sincerity of the Federal Government to dialogue with the Niger Delta people.

IYC spokesperson, Eric Omare, cited Wednesday military invasion of Tebujor community in Gbaramatu clan to buttress the council’s position.