… Says Navy never arrested logistics supplier

From Paul Osuyi, Asaba, Emmanuel Ogoigbe, Warri

the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) yesterday warned all foreign firms and their expatriates operating in the Niger Delta region to leave the area or face the consequences of staying put.
Also on the warning list of the militants are the two unions in the oil and gas industry, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) which the Avengers are imploring to “leave all oil fields and terminals” in the region because it is going to be dirty very soon.
A statement by the group’s spokesman, Muddoch Agbinibo gloated over various attacks being carried out on oil installations by the militants and denied that the Nigerian Navy arrested the NDA’s logistics supplier.
Agbinibo stated that the news of the arrest of Avengers logistics supplier by the Navy was “the biggest joker of the 21st century,” noting that the navy had lost its sense of professionalism as “any Tom, Dick and Harry is a suspect of Avengers.
“The Nigeria military arrested school students in Oporoza and called them NDA members, any criminal caught is NDA, even their business partners (illegal oil bunkers) are NDA, sea pirates are now NDA.”
Agbinibo dared the military, stating that officers of the military were living in a fool’s paradise by denying every major attack carried out on oil installations by the militants.
“When NDA carries out any major attack, they (military) will deny it. First was the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline that was blown. Second was the 48 inches Exxonmobil pipeline that was blown by NDA.
“Mobil and the government denied it. Only for Exxonmobil to declare false majeure few days after the attack. We want the general public to know that the Qua Iboe export pipeline is down right now.
“Let me give a little brief about the Qua Iboe export terminal. This is a subsidiary of Mobil and it the biggest export stream in Nigeria. They export one million barrel every two days. I, Agbinibo, personally led this operation. Unlike the Chief of Naval Staff that sits in the comfort of his office to pass orders,” he gloated.
He urged the military to stop “deceiving the public and their commander-in-chief. They should come out with the truth in Akwa-Ibom instead of saying Niger Delta Avengers did not blow up their line but system anomaly. Shame on the Nigeria Military.”
According to the statement, the NDA had intelligently gathered that members of the top military brass were using the flimsy arrest of members of the NDA to defraud government, adding that very soon, they would be exposed.
“Reports from our intelligence agent, the only way funds can be allocated to various departments of the military is only when they (military) arrest the Niger Delta Avengers operatives. But soonest, the Nigerian public and their commander-in-chief will know the military is not capable to handle the Niger Delta Avengers.
“How do you explain a military officer having a house in choice areas in Nigeria and outside the country? Nigeria serving and retired top officers are the richest people in Nigeria. How do they get such wealth? Right now, they are using Niger Delta Avengers to defraud the Nigeria government and taxpayers of their money.
“We want to make this clear, all Niger Delta Avengers operatives are intact, our intelligence agencies are all intact and our operative team are in high spirit because we are winning the war.
“Nigeria Navy cannot arrest any of our operative until we bring down the economy of this country.
We are warning NUPENG and PENGASSAN to leave all oil fields and terminals in the Niger Delta because it will be going to be dirty very soon. Foreigners are to leave too,” Agbinibo warned.