Emma Amaize, Hector Igbikiowubo and Jimitota Onoyume
17 September 2008
Niger Delta elders, led by the Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, have launched into secret talks with leaders of militant groups in the region to halt the "oil war" declared on Sunday by the Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and enable the Federal Government execute its programme of development in the region in a non-violent environment
Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that following the intervention of the elders, some of the militant leaders agreed to withdraw their "boys" who had already been deployed to damage some oil installations in Rivers State and other parts of the region, although there was a fresh attempt yesterday by the militants to blow up the Chevron flow station at Idama, Rivers State.
A clash ensued between the invaders and members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) who repelled the attack. Crude oil production has, since the commencement of the "oil war", dropped by 150,000 barrels per day.
However, before information could get to the field commanders, the militants had destroyed a major crude oil pipeline at Bakana Front in Degema Local Government Area in Rivers State, belonging to the Shell Petroleum Development Company on Monday night.
MEND spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, confirmed the destruction of the SPDC pipeline, yesterday, but, there was no official statement on the contact by the elders. Vanguard confirmed, nevertheless, that the elders reached the second-in-command in the MEND struggle on phone between 10.00 pm and 11.00 pm. Monday.
Chief Clark who spoke to journalists at his country-home, Kiagbodo in Delta State confirmed that the elders had waded into the face-off between the militants and the JTF, saying he would be in Abuja, today, to confer with the Presidency on the way forward following the discussions with the "boys."
It was gathered that the elders were disturbed that soon after the inauguration of the Technical Committee on the Niger Delta and the announcement of the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta, crisis broke out between the military and the militants, robbing the region of the required peace by government to proceed with its plans for the region.
Clark said: "I have assured our boys to maintain peace and that I would be going to Abuja immediately to carry my message of peace to the Federal Government."
The former Federal Commissioner for Information appealed to the Federal Government to declare a truce in the region between now and 31st of December 2008 to enable Government discuss with the people and to carry out the massive development of the Niger Delta in a peaceful atmosphere.
"We need this (peaceful atmosphere) for the Federal Government to show its sincerity and commitment to the development of the Niger-Delta.
"I am happy to say that I have spoken to the boys to drop the idea of full-scale war in the Niger Delta and allow peace to reign and allow dialogue between the elders and the Federal Government to execute its programme of development in the Niger Delta. I am confident they will call off their declaration of war as from today (yesterday)," he said.
Clark insisted that the Federal Government must be seen to have control over the JTF, saying: "A situation whereby they engage in activities inimical to the real intention of the Federal Government is unacceptable and the Federal Government should, therefore, give strict instruction to the Service Chiefs to control their soldiers."
The Niger Delta leader said the militants were unhappy with government over the secret trial of Henry Okah, pointing out that the trial "is indeed incompatible with the search for peace in the Niger-Delta."
Meanwhile, Ijaw youth leaders across the Niger Delta rose from their 47th strategic session, at Oporoza in Delta State, last weekend, with a call on the Federal Government to withdraw the military, which they alleged, had murdered 20 persons, including children and women in cold blood and also razed 14 Ijaw communities in an insensitive pogrom in the last few days.
They also rejected the continuous secret trial and incarceration of Henry Okah, saying: "It remains illegal and unacceptable to the Ijaw nation and consequently, we call for his unconditional release in our genuine bid towards peace and justice."
Crude oil output drops by 150,000b/d
Meanwhile, crude oil production has dropped by 150,000 barrels per day following the fresh wave of militant attacks which commenced weekend, leaving Nigeria's total output down from 2.2 million barrels per day to 2.1 million barrels per day.
"Production had been at around 2.2 million barrels per day. We are now at 2.1 (million)," a senior official with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said.
Government officials on Monday said up to 115,000 bpd of oil production might have been halted in the last four days.
Nigeria has an installed capacity to produce 3.3 million barrels per day, an indication that over one million barrels per day oil output remains shut in owing to the restiveness in the area. However, a fraction of the shut-in is due to technical issues.
Chevron confirms shooting near Idama platform
Also, yesterday Chevronconfirmed a shooting around its Idama platform in restive Niger Delta in the early hours of the morning.
"Chevron Nigeria Limited can confirm reports of shooting in the area of its Idama facilities, Rivers State at about 1.00 a.m. today (yesterday). The attack has been reported to the appropriate government authorities and investigation is on-going," the US company said in a statement.
It was gathered that militants in six speed boats made attempt to attack a flow station belonging to Chevron in Idama area of Rivers State yesterday but it was repelled by men of the Joint Task Force.
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