AHEAD President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Ogoni land in Rivers State today, unrelenting members of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) have blown up two Chevron oil wells in Delta State.
This is in spite of heavy military artillery deployed to the region, particularly Gbaramatu kingdom, to curtail the activities of the lords of the creeks in the region.
The incident, as gathered, took place around Egbema creeks in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State.
According to the militant group, the Chevron oil wells affected are RMP 24 and RMP 23, described as Chevron highest producing wells.
In its Tweeter handle @NDAvengers early morning of Thursday, the group said the wells were blown up at about 3:44a.m.
It said: “With the heavy presence of 100 gunboats, four warships and jet bombers, NDA blew up Chevron Oil Well RMP 23 and RMP 24 3:44am this morning.
‘’RMP 24 and RMP 23 are Chevron Swamp Highest producing Wells.”
In yet another following tweet, NDA said its success in the Thursday’s operation showed that the Nigerian military were only good at brutalising and harassing Nigerian civilians as it is being allegedly done in Gbaramatu kingdom where residents had taken refuge in the woods, following military invasion last Saturday.
The Nigerian Army, also during the week, deployed fighter jets and more gunboats to the area to contain the activities of the Avengers.
“This is to show the whole world that Nigerian military is good in harassing innocent civilians,” the Avengers noted.
Although the tweet did not give details of the extent of damage done to the oil wells, a staff in the Communications and Public Affairs of Chevron, declined comment on the incident, adding that safety of their workers was their topmost priority and concern.
However, a senior officer in the Nigerian Navy, who declined being identified, told the Nigerian Tribune that: “our boys actually patrolled that area before the incident happened. But they have to patrol; they can’t stay in one place. It’s just unfortunate.”
Meanwhile, people of embattled Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area, have alert the Federal Government that pupils who were writing their NECO exams have been stopped from doing so due to the military siege on the kingdom.
The cry was made in a statement signed by the chairman of Kokodiagbene community in Gbaramatu kingdom, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, and made available to the Nigerian Tribune, on Wednesday,
Leaders of the communities averred that several students, who fled into the bush at the sight of the troops, were yet to be accounted for.
The leaders, who condemned the activities of the Avengers, added that the academic session had been entirely disrupted.
They stated that because of the prevailing situation, all schools in the area had been shut down, appealing to both the Federal and Delta State governments to step in and arrest the situation.
The leaders further cautioned the military to thread softly on their search for Avengers in order not to hurt innocent citizens and use more of intelligence and professionalism in their search for the renegades.
