Lagos — There were fears at the weekend that the multi-billion dollar Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline project being midwifed by Nigeria, Algeria and Niger is now a target for sabotage by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).

The militant group, which has launched a string of onslaughts against operators in the oil industry, in its latest threat to attack Federal Government's facilities, said yesterday it would hit the gas project and oil facilities in the next 72 hours.

Spokesman for MEND said in a statement yesterday that his group would not hesitate to sabotage the gas project.

According to agency reports," MEND warns the investors to the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline project that unless the Niger Delta root issues have been addressed and resolved, any money put into the project will go down the drain."

Nigeria earlier on Friday signed an agreement with Algeria and Niger to build a multi-billion dollar gas pipeline across the Sahara that could send up to 30 billion cubic metres a year of supplies to Europe.

In an interview with Dow Jones Newswires, Chakib Khelil said state-owned "NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) will search for gas in Algerian deposits," while Algeria will explore Nigerian reservoirs.

"We will ensure that it faces the same fate other pipelines are facing today," the MEND spokesman said. He claimed the new threat came as a traditional ruler in the delta was allegedly seized by the army.

The MEND spokesman said "armistice as against amnesty for freedom fighters is what MEND and Tompolo (a MEND leader) are favourably disposed to for adoption as the next step to take towards resolving the crisis."

In an e-mail, the spokesman for MEND warned companies still operating in the delta, "namely Agip, Total (TOT), Shell and Exxon Mobil (XOM) to leave while there is still time because within the next 72 hours" it may launch new attacks.

Chevron Corporation said on May 25 it had interrupted its onshore operations after a string of attacks on its pipelines.

The MEND threat is coming barely one month to the commencement of the amnesty granted militants groups in the Niger Delta.

According to the Federal Government timetable, a 60-day grace period, which is to run between August and October 4, has been handed down to militants to denounce their armed struggle.

The offer of amnesty, according to the Federal Government, is predicated on the willingness and readiness of the militants to give up all illegal arms in their possession, completely renounce militancy in all its ramifications unconditionally, and depose to an undertaking to this effect."

Meanwhile, Commander of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, Major General Sarkin Yarki-Bello, has asked oil companies threatened by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta not to mind them but go ahead with their lawful duties as his men would not shy away from protecting them.

"It is not the first time MEND is issuing this kind statement and my reaction has always been the same. Even though we are observing a ceasefire to make the amnesty work, we shall not shy away from our responsibilities.

"If they attack any of our locations or where we are deployed, we will not fold our hands but will confront them. What did they say the oil companies have done to them? Let them come and confront us. They know their propaganda is failing and no one is taking them seriously.

"They had given 72 hours, 42 hours, 24 hours and nothing happened, so they are only sitting down somewhere and churning out statements on the internet and you people believe them.

"The other time they claimed that they killed 23 soldiers, do you believe them? Can we lose 23 soldiers and no one has complained? This is all propaganda. They wake up and accuse our soldiers of all manner of evil, from rape, extra-judicial killing and anything on this earth but we are not bordered. That is their way and life - propaganda", he said.

On the alleged kidnap and possible killing of a royal father, the Agadagba of Egbema Kingdom, HRM Isaac Thikan, who they said was a stanch critic of JTF operations, General Bello said he has never heard of the name and has never read anything on the said criticism of their operations by the said monarch.
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I have never heard of the man before and we can't arrest anybody unless he is a militant or a member of MEND. I am not surprised by MEND, they can say anything. They have accused us of everything", he explained.

MEND has said the monarch was arrested on June 24, 2009 by JTF and taken to their office and that they were yet to her anything from him except that he may have been killed, warning that if the royal father was killed, they will embark on retaliatory strikes.

"A traditional ruler from the oil bearing Egbema kingdom in the Niger Delta, HRM Isaac Thikan, the Agadagba of Egbema and a staunch critic of the military excesses in the region was forcibly abducted on June 24, 2009 by the JTF and taken to their headquarters in Effurun, Warri where we are hearing he may have been killed", MEND claimed.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200907050006.html

Gud luck militant.