The Honorable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, has expressed his grave concern and disappointment over the recent pipeline attacks by militants in the Niger Delta region.
The most recent attack occurred on Tuesday night, in which Niger Delta Avengers, attacked the Forcados Export Pipeline in Delta State.
This is one in series of attacks that have taken place over the last two weeks even amid ongoing efforts to prepare the grounds for dialogue.
More saddening for Dr. Kachikwu was the fact that “despite months of intensive personal and collective efforts to engage all stakeholders in the region, and the recent success in convening a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, to begin exploring the opportunities for deepening the dialogue, these attacks have continued”.
He condemned the wanton attacks and re-iterated that the path to providing lasting solutions for the Niger Delta challenges, remains a dialogue.
Furthermore, he appealed to all interested stakeholders in the Niger Delta, to embrace the path of peace and dialogue as well as shun acts that further create difficulties for the country, impoverish the region and worsen the ecological problems of the region.
He urged all militants to stop and give the ensuing dialogue a chance to birth peace in the region.
Operation Crocodile Smile
A militant group named the Niger Delta Avengers, has claimed responsibility for a wave of attacks that have forced some oil companies to declare force majeure, reducing the nation’s crude oil output by 700,000 barrels a day to 1.56 million barrels per day.
The group had however agreed to a ceasefire and was open for negotiation with the Federal Government in August.
Also in August, as a means of providing adequate security for residents, as well as critical national economic assets in the region, the Nigerian Army formally launched a new military exercise in the Niger Delta, code named “Exercise Crocodile Smile”.
With the steady increase in insurgence and militant activities in the south-south region, the government, as well as the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, who flagged-off the exercise, had expressed hopes of an improved security situation.
16 Point Agenda
This followed the establishment of the operation ‘Delta Safe‘ and the most recent exercise ‘Eagel Net’, set up by the government in continuous efforts to curb the menace of militancy.
In a recent meeting held between Traditional rulers of the Niger Delta and the President, Muhammadu Buhari, the leaders presented 16 things they believe would help in bringing an end to militancy.
Some of the issues highlighted, were lack of infrastructure, human resource, manpower and welfare of the people years after oil exploration began in the Niger Delta.
Following the 16 points raised, they had asked the government to: Pull the army out from the region, order oil firms to move headquarters there, oil firms to employ more of its youths, cleaning up of oil spills, among other things.
