Niger Delta: Shell Confirms Militants Attack, Death Of Guard

The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has on Sunday, October 11, confirmed an attack unleashed on it facility by some unknown gunmen suspected to be militants in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria.

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Niger Delta militants

According to Premium Times, the attack occurred on Friday, October 9, just few days after an international security organisation had warned of renewed agitation by various militant groups in the area killing one person who was on guard.

The confirmation was contained in a statement released by the company’s spokesperson, Joseph Obari, who said that there are currently some processes of investigation into the incident.

In the statement, Obari said: “There was an armed attack on a Joint Task Force (JTF) sentry post at Kolo Creek Flow Station on October 9, 2015, in the Eastern Niger Delta.

“Regrettably, a community guard at the flow station lost his life in the incident.

‘’We are saddened at this loss of life and our thoughts are with the bereaved family.

“The security agencies are investigating the incident.”

It was reported that there were sounds of gunshots fired by the suspected militants, which alerted the security team stationed to guard the oil installation.

It was said that the security team repelled the gunmen, forcing them to run away.

However, the guard who was killed by the gunmen was reportedly on duty when they struck. But for the prompt response by the JTF, it was said that the suspected militants would have wreaked much havoc on the facility and personnel.

There had been observations by International Crisis Group as once reported by Premium Times that since the defeat of the immediate past president Goodluck Jonathan, who happens to be a native of the region during the March 28 presidential election that some activists resumed their agitation for greater resource control and self-determination.

The group also noted that some ex-militants had threatened to return to the creeks to resume the armed struggle that characterised the region prior to the amnesty programme.

Furthermore, the group had warned that as the presidential amnesty programme for ex-militants becomes imminent, that there were increasing complaints that the chronic programme may fuel a renewed rebellion in the region.

Recently, ex-militants under the aegis of the Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF)asked Chief Edwin Clark, the former federal commissioner for information to shut up following his comments against Goodluck Jonathan.