The security situation in the Niger Delta worsened on Tuesday night with two separate onslaughts by militants on oil production and export infrastructure.
One attack involved the hijack of two oil vessels and a tugboat at the Jones Creeks in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. The other was an attack on the Odidi II flow station, owned by the Shell Petroleum Development Company in the same LGA.
The hijacked vessels, named MT Venus, and MT Trader, belong to an oil servicing company. Sources told our correspondent that the vessels, laden with Low Pour Fuel Oil from the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, were heading to Lagos when the militants struck.
As at 5pm on Wednesday, those aboard the vessels and the tugboat were yet to be freed by the militants. A reliable source told our correspondent that the militants, numbering about 20, arrived the Odidi flow station in two speedboats.
Although the youth could not gain access to the facility, they injured the security personnel and attendants who resisted them. The attacks came barely a week after militants kidnapped four foreign oil workers from the SPDC flow station in Benisede, Bayelsa State. The whereabouts of the four hostages remain unknown.
It was learnt on Wednesday that the Commanding Officer of NNS Delta, Warri Naval Base, Navy Capt. Mufutau Ajibade, had notified the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral John Kpokpogri, about the hijacked vessels.
Ajibade, who spoke with our correspondent on telephone, said the hijack of the vessels was an isolated case. He added that the youth were demanding developmental levies from the owners of the vessels. According to him, troops have been deployed to ensure the speedy release of the vessels and their crew members.
The Commander of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, code-named �Operation Restore Hope�, Brig.- Gen. Elias Zamani, who confirmed the invasion of Odidi II flow station, described it as a �pure armed robbery case.�
Zamani said, �There is no threat to the facility, that is why we didn�t deploy personnel there.� Also on Wednesday, a militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, said in a statement, that its objective was to halt oil exports.
In a statement e-mailed to Reuters on Wednesday, the MEND said it had widened its attacks to Agip and Total facilities, and would also target Chevron. While Agip and Total issued denials, the SPDC said it was reviewing deployment of its 5,000 staff.
The MEND was quoted by Reuters as saying, �We have decided not to limit our attacks to Shell as our ultimate aim is to prevent Nigeria from exporting oil.� Our correspondent also reported that Delta State Security Council held an extra-ordinary session in Warri on Wednesday to review the security situation in the state.
The session was attended by the Governor, Chief James Ibori; Zamani; Ajibade; the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; and the Director of State Security Service, Mr. Adebayo Babalola.
Also in attendance were the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Mr. Udom Ekpoudom and the Commanding Officer, 93 Battalion, Lt. Col. Jalingo. Meanwhile, the Army Headquarters in Abuja has said that four of its men were killed on Sunday by the gunmen who attacked the Benisede flow station.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Mohammed Yusuf, added that nine other soldiers were missing. The dead and missing soldiers were part of the contingent of the Joint Task Force. Yusuf said that it was premature to �declare the missing soldiers dead.�
Oil prices climbed toward $67 on Wednesday from $65.53 on Tuesday. The International Energy Agency said it was keeping a close watch on developments in Nigeria. �We�re monitoring the situation,� agency reports quoted Lawrence Eagles, head of the IEA�s oil industry and markets division.