Shell warns staff of fresh threat

Shell Petroleum Development Company on Monday raised the alarm over a fresh threat to oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta region.

The alarm came barely two days after the expiration of the ultimatum by the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, which is currently holding three oil workers hostage.

SPDC�s Managing Director and Country Chairman, Mr. Basil Omiyi, in a memo to all staff in Port-Harcourt, Warri, Bonny, Lagos and Abuja, alleged fresh threat to the company�s installations in the region, especially in Rivers and Bayelsa states, between Friday and Sunday.

Omiyi said it was not only the facilities of the SPDC that were being threatened by the militants.

He said, �We have received information on threat to some oil and gas facilities of companies in Rivers and Bayelsa states this weekend and I have informed Nigerian authority (government security agencies etc) at both state and federal levels of the threat.

�We will continue to keep the deployment of staff in our field locations under close and constant review.�

Our correspondent gathered that Omiyi issued the memo, hours before Ijaw youths from seven states met in Effurun, Delta State on Monday, to deliberate on the state of the nation.

It was learnt that the fate of the three remaining expatriate oil workers being held by their kinsmen in Delta State topped the agenda of the two-day meeting, held under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Leaders� Forum.

The President of the Federated Niger Delta Ijaw Communities, Dr. Bello Oboko, who presided over the forum, said far-reaching decisions would be reached at the meeting which would end on Tuesday (today).

Youths from Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states attended the forum.

However, Omiyi, in response to the threat by the militants said restriction of movement on waterways in both Western (Delta) and Eastern (Rivers) divisions was still in force.

�All marine movements must be cleared with the respective Emergency Response Team in Warri and Port-Harcourt,� he added.

He advised all staff to be vigilant and be cautious, especially during the weekend.

Omiyi, said the Nigerian crisis team constituted by Shell Group remained in place, adding that it would provide guidance and co-ordination of all efforts being made to ensure the restoration of normalcy.

On the fate of the three remaining hostages, Omiyi said SPDC would continue to co-operate with the Nigerian authorities and their employer, Wilbros, to ensure their release.

He said, �We recognise the immense strain placed upon the hostages, their families and contractor companies under the present circumstances and our thoughts are with them at this time.�

Meanwhile, a group, Goodluck Jonathan Initiative for Peace and Conflict Restoration, has urged MEND to release the three remaining hostages in its custody.

The group in a communiqu� by its National Co-ordinator, Sultan Tam Zimughan, after a meeting in Warri, asked the militant youths at Okerenkoko in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, to sheath their swords and embrace dialogue .

The body also urged the Federal Government to forestall further reprisal attacks on Ijaw communities, adding that government should employ peaceful negotiation and dialogue to handle the ongoing crisis in the region.

Help keep Oyibos OnLine independent. If you value our services any contribution towards our costs will be greatly appreciated.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.