• Give oil companies two weeks to shut down

From Femi Folaranmi, Yenogoa and Paul
Osuyi, Asaba

Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), the new militant group operating in Nigeria’s oil rich region, has given owners and operators of oil blocs two weeks to shut down operations and leave the region.
According to the group in an e-mail sent yesterday morning and signed by its spokesman, Col. Mudoch Agbinibo, the attack on oil blocs would be bloody at the expiration of the ultimatum.
“To owners and operators of these oil blocs in our region the Niger Delta Avengers is giving you two weeks ultimatum to shut down your operations and evacuate your staff. If at the end of the ultimatum, you are still operating, we will blow up all the locations. It will be bloody. So just shut down your operations and leave,” the group whose strikes have devastated oil and gas operations of major oil companies in the Niger Delta region and practically crippled crude oil production, said.
The oil blocs listed belong to Gen. TY Danjuma, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Yinka Folawiyo, Aminu Dantata, Atiku Abubakar, son-in-law of Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, Emeka Offor, Peter Odili, ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo,  Mike Adenuga among others.
The group claimed responsibility for the renewed hostilities on oil and gas facilities which has led to the blowing up of the major Chevron trunk line feeding tank farm in Escravos, and that of Chevron Valve Platform situated deep offshore around Abiteye.
The goal of the disruptions of oil and gas infrastructure, it said, was to actualize the sovereign state of Niger Delta.
According to Agbinibo, members of NDA are spread across the states in the Niger Delta and would launch its currency, passport, ruling council, territory and flag in 2016.
“By October 2016 we will display our currency, flag, passport, our ruling council and our territory to the world,” NDA said.
In the statement entitled: “Congrats to all strike teams of the Niger Delta Avenger,” Agbinibo congratulated his colleagues that carried out the coordinated attacks for ensuring that oil and gas facilities were destroyed without taking any innocent life of either civilians or military, adding that it has succceded in shutting down 50 per cent of crude production.
“We congratulate our loyal and gallant soldiers who put human lives before their targets. On behalf of the Niger Delta people, we say congratulation as we have crippled the Nigerian economy by 50 per cent, by the grace of God we will make it 100 percent if our demands are not met soon,” it said.
Agbinibo stated that modus operandi of the NDA was more civilized than what ex-agitators like ex-militant warlord, Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a Tompolo adopted in their struggle that culminated in the amnesty programme.
“Our agitation is more civilized than yours; the Niger Delta Avengers is more concerned with people of Niger Delta unlike you (ex-agitators) that were into kidnapping, killing of Nigerian soldiers, sea pirates, vessel and tanker hijacking.
“But we were able to carry out all our operations without killing a fly. We have sophisticated arms far better than what you use to have during your kidnapping days.
“After the amnesty programme you (ex-agitators) have been enjoying patronage from the government and royalty from multinational oil companies, while we (Avengers) have been strategizing on how the voice of the Niger Deltans can be heard. We are fighting a radical fight without taking any life,” Agbinibo stated.
He said NDA was not appealing to the ex-agitators to join the renewed struggle, adding that the present campaigners are young, educated, well-traveled.
“In as much as we respect you as our elder brothers (ex-agitators) please don’t dare to stand on our way because if you do we will crush you,” it noted.
According to the statement, if the military dare to harass or invade any community in the region in view of the attack on oil and gas facilities, there will be a reprisal and violent attack from the group against the military.
He stated that the struggle was not limited to the Niger Delta region alone but has spread its tentacles to the South-East, urging the South-Easterners to stop condemning their actions.
“The Commander of Strike team 9 of the Niger Delta Avengers is from Eastern Nigeria. So nobody should limit this struggle to the Ijaws of the Niger Delta only. The leader of the strike team six that blew up chevron valve platform is Itsekiri. The Commander of our elite team strike team one is from Akwa Ibom.
“So, if you are calling us empty heads just know that your brothers are part of Niger Delta Avengers as well. Avengers is different from former agitators who limited the struggle to just the Ijaws,” the statement added.
Meanwhile,  the Nigerian Navy reiterated its resolve to deal with the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta.
Mohammed Garba, who on Wednesday assumed duty as the flag commanding officer of the Central Naval Command (CNC), Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said the navy has the capacity to “flush out” militants out of the region.
Garba said under his leadership, the CNC would pursue a zero tolerance stance against oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal oil bunkering.