Southern Nigeria – Barely two months after Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) militants attacked a Chevron platform in the oil-rice Niger Delta region, the police have launched manhunt for member of the group over a violent protest that led to the death of three persons in the area on Sunday.
The police said that the dead were members of NDA, whose activities has added to the growing fears over a revived militant campaigns in the oil-rich region.
The militants group is demanding a greater share of the Nigeria’s oil revenues to be used to develop the Niger Delta, but president Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to crack down on vandals and saboteurs in the region.
The police claimed “intelligence report revealed” that the militants blew up a crude oil pipeline at Okijo, an area in Ogun State 48 hours later (12th July 2016) apparently in retaliation for their members death during last Sunday protest.
The police who disclosed names of some key members of the group on their man-hunt list further stated that aside leading deadly protest.
The police maintained that the members were involved in series of attacks on oil installation in the area.
“Suspected Niger Delta Avengers militants led by Solomon Odu ‘M’ 24, Nelson Best ‘M’ 21, Ben Awaro ‘M’ 22 attacked the police, who tried to stopped them during their rampage;
“The police on their part, need to defend themselves and in the process three of the protesters lost their lives. While the police was still investigating the violent incident, the group attack a pipeline in faraway Ogun State, and we will do everything to ensure we track them down to come answer to their atrocities’’, Police spokesperson in the state, ACP Abara Moses told journalist on Wednesday.
Despite police crime diary corroborated ACP Abara’s claim, there was no evidence like photograph of burnt relics, as findings by our correspondent who visited the supposed scene was in contrast to the police claim.
The militant group which is known to claim responsibility for recent attacks in the region were yet to respond. Violence and pipeline attacks have risen in Nigeria’s south south despite Buhari’s extension of a multi-million dollar amnesty signed with militant in 2009.
However government putting an end to a generous pipeline protection contracts may have orchestrated recent unrests in the region known for crude oil theft.
