President Orders Military to Crush Niger Delta Avengers Militant Group

President Muhammadu Buhari has given fresh order to the military to crush the new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, which has been attacking oil installations.

President Muhammadu Buhari

 

According to information gathered, the President gave the directive on Friday after the militant group attacked Chevron’s platform in Warri, Delta State and the blowing up of pipelines linking Warri and Kaduna refineries on Friday. 

 

The attack cost Chevron about 105,000 barrels of oil production in three days.

 

Chevron spokeswoman, Isabel Ordonez is quoted as saying: “Approximately 35,000 bpd of Chevron’s net crude oil production in Nigeria are impacted,”

 

The figure was confirmed by General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr. Deji Haastrup.

 

He said, “This is a very difficult time for the country because it needs the revenue it can get from oil production. Incidents such as this have the potential to impact that. We do hope that it does not seriously affect the country.”

 

According to Punch, following the attacks, which has the potential of adversely affecting the revenue of the country,  the President instructed the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force to stop the activities of the new group.

 

The report quoted a presidential aide who revealed that the president has given special instruction to the military to deal with the militants.

“The President gave special instruction to the military, especially to the Chief of Naval Staff, that this ugly development of vandals in the Niger Delta should end immediately.” the aide said.

 

It was learnt that the President also ordered the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, to ensure that all waterways and platforms were protected against further attacks by the militants.

 

The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, also confirmed that the military had gotten the directive.

 

He said, “We have the order from the President and we are monitoring the activities of the new group.  All efforts will be made to bring out those behind it.

“The suspects who perpetrated the first vandalism were apprehended and paraded the day before yesterday (Thursday).

“These ones are not going to be different. We are going out on our operation to stop and apprehend them in accordance with the presidential directive.”