GENERAL.
Terrorists Target Internal airlines.
On the 19th of June 2006 an unconfirmed report indicated a potential terrorist threat against Aero Contractors Airline [ACN] and Virgin Nigeria Airline. These two airlines service the oil and gas industry and are top choice of expatriate workers and members of the diplomatic corps in Nigeria. As a result of this threat, the Australia Embassy has warned its nationals of the threat against the airlines. ACN has however beef up security around its terminal but is still rely on the manual checking of hand luggage at its Lagos terminal.
Nigeria Plan to Acquire Drone Aircraft.
The Nigeria Government is to acquire drone aircraft from an Israeli company as part of a drive to build a national coastal defence alignment based mainly on unmanned platforms. A defence source confirmed that the optimism that the system will work is based on the experience of Angola, which achieved a significant increase in its crude oil output after installing a similar technology, thereby putting an end to oil theft and related activities. The drone aircraft, expected to be designed and built by Aeronautics Defence System Limited, will provide manned and unmanned naval aerial systems, coastal radars and command control centres in the Niger Delta region. The system will be based on Aeronautics Aerostar Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicles [UAV] and Seaster Unmanned Surface Vehicles [USV]
Port Harcourt (and River State).
Two Expatriates Kidnapped.
On the 20th of June 2006 two expatriates from the Philippines were kidnapped off a ship moored at the PW Jetty near Siapam Akaa Base in Rumuolumeni area in Obio Akpor local government area Rivers State on the Bonny River. The two workers are employed by a Norweigen company PGS. It is not known at the time of writing if this was done by militants or by the local community. Akaa Base area has had a history of problems with the community in the area, it will be recalled that on the 11th of May 2006 three expatriates were kidnapped by the community and then released the next day.
Navel Base attacked.
On the night of the 22nd Of June 2006 The Nigerian Navel Base NNS Pathfinder was attacked. Apparently many millions of Naira are move through the base and transported by river to various locations. It believed that this is the reason for the attack and that weapon and dynamite were used. An undisclosed amount of Nira was stollen.Pathfinder base is situated in Aker base site close to Saipem and Agip. Comment: At the time of writing it is not known if this was the act of a militants or community group or just common criminals.
Warri (Delta and adjoining states).
Numerous dead In Onitsha.
In Onitsha, following bloody clashes in the city in which last four days involving the police, members of a separatist group and transport owners union. Anambra State Government imposed a dusk to dawn curfew on the 18th of June 2006 on the city The state Governor, Mr. Peter Obi who announced the curfew in his second broadcast to the people of the state within 48 hours said it would run from 7pm last night to 6am Saturday, the 24th of June 2006.For four days, the police and members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) had been involved in clashes which had claimed many lives. Obi, in his address last night, reiterated his administration’s resolve not to negotiate with “miscreants who call themselves members of NARTO and MASSOB” and said he had duly briefed President Olusegun Obasanjo on the situation in Onitsha. He disclosed that he had promised to take necessary actions while he appealed to the “miscreants disrupting Anambra’s peace to desist.” The governor later took an inspection tour of the flash points in Onitsha where he accessed the level of damage inflicted on the city by those he called miscreants who had held the town under siege. They had also engaged the police in gun battles at the end of which the police lost two police stations, an armoured personnel carrier (APC), a military jeep, some officers and men of the police force along with some civilians. At the “33” junction police station which the hoodlums razed down, Mr. Ikechukwu Egbochukwu, an assistant superintendent of police, said the hoodlums opened the cell and released two in-mates there before setting the station ablaze. A mob also broke into a prison and allowed 204 inmates to escape and razed it to the ground. A Mitsubishi Commuter bus driver, Mr. Ikwuka Chukwuka who said he was an eye witness to the killings and destruction along the Onitsha-Owerri road and the Okpoko area of the commercial city told the governor that members of NARTO and the police were behind the acts. “NARTO members and the mobile policemen with them killed innocent people on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th of June 2006 as they combed everywhere in Okpoko and Owerri road after the police and MASSOB members clashed on Thursday 16th of June 2006. Three people were killed Saturday and two were burnt”, he told Governor Obi. Meanwhile, Army personnel had already been deployed to the streets of Onitsha by the Federal Government to help contain the situation and were seen yesterday frisking people along the upper Iweka area of the Onitsha – Enugu expressway. Governor Obi said their deployment was to ensure peace in the city while expressing regrets that thuggery and brigandage took roots in the state as a result of the states political history. He noted that though about 70 per cent of the miscreants in the city of Onitsha came from neighboring states, but that “somebody invited them”. He said markets in Onitsha are now properly secured with both the army and the police providing security and warned that the state cannot be left in the hands of groups. “All the groups, NARTO, MASSOB, AVS, NURTW, must leave. We can’t negotiate with them. The state government will this week continue to meet with various stakeholders and the security agencies on ways to further ensure lasting peace and a cordial environment for people to go about their lawful endeavors unmolested”, he said. Media reports suggest that NARTO members were aggrieved for being outlawed by the Anambra State House of Assembly to stop their occupation of motor parks where the state government daily losses about N3 million in un-remitted revenue. On the 20th of June 2006 it was announced that the dusk to dawn curfew had been extended to six other towns in the area. These are Ogbaru, Okpoko, Nsugbe, Oba and Nkpor.
Lagos (and adjoining states).
Four Killed in bank Robbery.
On the 22nd of June 2006 it was reported that robbers had struck again in Lagos, this time, at Ogudu branch of a high profile new generation bank, killing four and wounding scores of people. This came barely 10 days after robbers attacked another bank at Ago Palace Way, Okota, also in Lagos, Isolo, killing one person. Unlike the Okota attack, the robbers yesterday successfully made away with huge sums of money. A policeman, a staff of the bank, two private securitymen attached to the bank were reportedly killed by the robbers while scores of people sustained various degrees of injuries as they ran for safety. Eye witness said the robbers numbering about 14, attacked the bank about 0900 hrs as it was opening for business. Three suspects have however been arrested in connection with the incident while a white Mazda bus marked XL 433 JJJ, said to belong to a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) allegedly used in the robbery, was also recovered. The suspects and the vehicle were later transferred from Area H, Ogudu to the police command Ikeja.