MEND declares ‘oil war’
Written by Emma Amaize & Jimitota Onoyume
Monday, September 15, 2008
* Claims soldiers were killed in shoot-out, *Only one soldier injured — JTF






MOVEMENT for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said, yesterday, it had launched an “oil war” in response to Saturday’s aerial and massive bombardments on one of its positions by the military.


It claimed in an online statement that its members attacked gunboats and oil facilities, and killed some military men in the first round of the attack.


But spokesman for the Joint Task Force in Rivers State, Lt-Col. Musa Sagir, said an attack on a Chevron facility in the state was aborted. He said a soldier sustained gunshot injury, but declined to say if there had been any casualty. Shell said it was still investigating reports of attack on its facility.


MEND in the statement signed by Jomo Gbomo said: “Following a previous warning that any attack on our positions will be tantamount to a declaration of an oil war, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has declared an oil war in response to the unprovoked aerial and marine attacks on a MEND position in Rivers State of Nigeria on September 13, 2008 by the armed forces of Nigeria.


“About 0100 hrs, today (yesterday), September 14, 2008, Hurricane Barbarossa commenced with heavily armed fighters in hundreds of war boats filing out from different MEND bases across the Niger Delta in solidarity to carry out destructive and deadly attacks on the oil industry in Rivers State.


“By dawn, MEND destroyed oil flow stations, gun boats, burst pipelines, dead and injured soldiers trailed in the aftermath of the ‘hurricane’. Some specific locations include the Soku Gas Plant, Chevron Platform at Kula; over 22 well-armed soldiers sent as reinforcement were intercepted, killed and dispossessed of their weapons, a major crude trunk pipeline at Nembe creek was blown up at several points.


“The operation will continue until the government of Nigeria appreciates that the solution to peace in the Niger Delta is justice, respect and dialogue. This military style bullying belongs to the past 50 years when the Niger Delta people responded only with their mouths, pens and placards.


“All international oil and gas loading vessels entering the region are warned to drop anchor in the high sea or divert elsewhere until further notice. Failure to comply is taking a foolhardy risk of attack and destruction of the vessel.


“Again, we are asking that oil companies evacuate their staff from their field facilities because the brief is not to capture hostages but to bring these structures to the ground.”


Only one soldier injured — JTF


However, Col. Sagir, speaking yesterday confirmed a clash between soldiers and militants at Soku and Robortkiri but declined to speak on casualty.


“Because it is an internal crisis, I can’t speak on the casualty rate on the part of our brothers,” he said.

The militants, according to him, stormed oil facilities in Soku and Robortkiri areas with a view to blowing them up but were repelled by soldiers on ground.


“As a result of yesterday’s (Saturday’s) attack on our troops on marine patrol at Elem Tombia which led to an exchange of fire with heavy casualty on the militants, as anticipated the bandits staged an attack in the early hours of today (yesterday) between 3-4 am at Soku facility and Robortkiri where they met active resistance from the troop guarding the facilities. It was successfully repelled with casualty on the miscreants’ side.


A soldier was, however, wounded and no death recorded. This message is necessary to preempt and avoid mischievous propaganda from the militants,” he said.


The JTF said an unknown group of militants at about 10.35 hrs on Saturday opened fire on its patrol team at Elem Tombia, provoking an exchange of gunfire.


Chevron confirms attack


Meanwhile, Chevron on its part has confirmed attack on one of its platform in the region to newsmen.

“There was an attack on a platform already shut down due to pipeline problems,” the company official who reportedly spoke under cover said it happened yesterday.


According to MEND in a statement on Saturday night, 27 oil workers, including five expatriates from Britain, South Africa and Ukraine and 20 Nigerians, reportedly rescued by it from sea pirates that kidnapped them from the MT Blue Ocean were trapped in the crossfire between the militant group and the armed forces.


Two communities in Rivers State— Elem Tombia and Ogboma— were reportedly razed after soldiers sacked militants from the area.


MEND confirmed that some of the trapped oil workers were injured in the crossfire with the military and that they were being treated with local herbs by the militants and pleaded that the Red Cross or doctors from the MSF should be allowed passage to attend to them.


“Injuries are mainly from high calibre machine guns and shrapnel,” its spokesman, Jomo Gbomo stated.

Jomo Gbomo who confirmed that the MEND lost five members in the Saturday encounter said: “The 27 oil workers rescued by the MEND from the pirates that kidnapped them from the MT Blue Ocean and taken to the camp under attack to be offered as a reward leverage for the release of Henry Okah are trapped in the fighting between our fighters and the Nigerian military forces.


“The workers are made up of five expatriates from Britain, South Africa and Ukraine, while the remaining 22 are Nigerians,” he said.


Earlier on Saturday, MEND claimed the military had launched a full scale war on its positions and some Ijaw communities with gun ships and over 20 gun boats and landing crafts filled with heavily armed soldiers, mainly from the Northern axis of Nigeria.


“We hold the Governor of Rivers State and the President of Nigeria accountable for the genocide on the defenceless civilians who are bearing the brunt from indiscriminate air force bombs.


“All MEND positions in the Niger Delta will respond to this unprovoked attack coming at a time the government is canvassing the so-called Niger Delta Ministry to hoodwink the people,” MEND said


Amaechi laments miliitants’ activities


Meanwhile, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has denounced the activities of militants in the state, lamenting their negative impact on development in the state.


The activities of the militants, he said, recently forced him to lodge N94 billion, an amount which accrued to the state from excess crude account in the bank. He regretted that the money could not be utilised for projects in the state at the moment because of the militants who are in the habit of abducting workers at project sites.


He cited the Egbomu community in Andoni local government area which is threatened by coastal erosion with government unable to help and contractors there forced to abandon the site.


“In the last two months, the contractor has not gone to site because the so-called militants did not allow the dredgers to pass,” Governor Amaechi said, and asked: “Who is losing or gaining in this kind of scenario?”


But he vowed that government would not relent as it was determined to flush them out. He said the activities of the criminals were denying the people of Rivers State development.


Governor Amaechi added that contract for the bridge linking Bolo Community in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area with Dere Community in Gokana Local Government Area had been awarded, and contractor paid, but the militants were denying Bolo people the privilege of driving home to their communities with their cars.
http://odili.net/news/source/2008/sep/15/311.html

Even after getting a ministry?