THE last may not have been heard about the attack on Shell Petroleum Development Com-pany�s Bonga flow station in Bayelsa State last week Thursday.
The alleged attack led to the shutdown of an offshore oil field that produced about 200,000 barrels per day after Shell alleged that the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) launched an attack on it.
However, security reports indicated that MEND did not carry out any attack, but the flow station was shutdown by the private security operatives guarding the facility.
Reliable sources told the Saturday Tribune, that guards shutdown the flow station following Shell�s refusal to pay them their three months salaries.
Oil companies in the Niger Delta hire private security companies to guard their facilities, while the Navy patrol boats carry out surveillance on the oil installations. Angered by their worsening situation, the private guards decided to shut down the Bonga station until all their salaries were paid.
The capture of an American worker, Jack Stone, on a supply vessel in the area of the rig, was also a ploy to make it look as if MEND had attacked the flow station.
The Private Security Outfit managed by a retired Navy Captain had alleged that Shell had been treating them with levity,, until the recent event, which made them respond to their obligations.
O Lav Ljosne, a spokesman for Shell, said last week that MEND had attacked the flow station, but gave no details. The 200,000 bpd accounts for about 10 per cent of Nigeria �s current daily output of about two million bpd.
ST gathered that Shell Bonga flow station is about 122 nautical miles offshore, which makes it difficult for the militants to get there.
Further investigations revealed that the fast boats which the militants used in their attacks cannot get there or else it will capsize mid-sea.
Meanwhile, Shell on Tuesday resumed production at the Bonga flow station. The security source added that Shell had misled the government by alleging that the militants attacked the flow station.
Also, the Nigerian Army has vowed to locate and arrest all those responsible for the Bonga Shell flow station attacked last week in consonance with President Umaru Yar�adua�s directive.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt, General Luka Yusuf who made the commitment on Friday while briefing newsmen on the events lined up for the 145th celebration of the Nigerian Army next week, said that the military have counted themselves as one of the major pillars of democracy and were committed to protecting it.
The Army chief disclosed that the Army has been equipped and strategically positioned to serve the nation by contributing meaningfully to the effort being made to entrench the tenets of democracy.
Towards this end, he noted that the challenges confronting them were not insurmountable as they had over the years embarked on vigorous and result oriented training that had yielded results
While reminding Nigerians that the Army has the responsibility to protect the nation against any external and internal aggression and internal unrest which might threaten the sovereignty of the country, General Yusuf advised them to have limits to their conflicts so that it does not become retrogressive.
On his vision for the Nigerian Army, the Army chief said that it is premised on discipline and professional conduct as they envisioned Army that will be the pride of all Nigerian in the discharge of its constitutional roles
According to him the Nigeria Army day Celebrations (NADCEL) draws significance from the role it plays as a constant reminder of the sacrifices they have made as an institution to keep this nation in one piece, a united and indivisible Nigeria.