Those apprehended are Chevron staff, says Ijaw community leader

Tompolo alleges intimidation

DHQ disagrees, says arrested suspects not oil company staff

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja and Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

There was confusion monday over the purported arrest of five suspected members of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) by the Nigerian military in connection with the destruction of several oil and gas platforms in the region.

While the Defence Headquarters has confirmed the arrests, leaders of Gbaramatu, an Ijaw community in the Niger Delta, kicked against the rounding up of the persons, insisting that the “suspects’’ were Chevron contract workers on duty at the time.



The five persons whose names were given as Samuel Emiko, Alfred Timede, Kelvin Mordi, Henry Arogboritse and Isaac Edemde, THISDAY was told, were on routine patrol of oil facilities along the Utunana flow station in Warri South West local government of Delta State, when they were picked up by the military.

The quintet, it was learnt, were employed as surveillance guards under the Chevron’s Pipeline and Facilities Surveillance Programme (PFSP) which has been in operation for several years.

The said PFSP was reportedly contracted to a firm which then employed the services of youths from the host communities of Ijaw and Itsekiri.

While three of the workers now in custody of the military were said to be from Omadino, an Itsekiri village in Warri North, the rest two were said to have come from Kokodiagbene, an Ijaw community, hosts to Utunana Flow Station in Gbaramatu kingdom.

When contacted monday, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, an Ijaw leader and Spokesman of the community noted that they were vehemently against the intimidation and indiscriminate arrest of innocent persons.

The community leader alleged that after the soldiers arrested the suspects with their speedboats bearing the inscription of PFFP and with a Chevron logo on it, they moved to Kokodiagbene and invaded buildings and tortured youths in a bid to force them to accept their membership of the militant group.

He called for the immediate release of the workers , describing the action of the military as a ploy to intimidate the people of Gbaramatu.

“Three of the workers are from Itsekiri (Omadino) while two are from Kokodiagbene, an Ijaw community. They were arrested on their routine check of oil facilities within Utunana flow station with a speedboat which had Chevron’s name boldly written on it. The boat they were caught in also belongs to Chevron.

“They were employed under the Chevron’s Pipeline and Facilities Surveillance Programme (PFSP) through the Ijaw/Itsekiri Regional Development Committee GMoU with host communities,” he said.

He added that the security operatives were looking for a way to cover up their inadequacies, after they ‘goofed’ several times.

He urged the authorities to ignore a popular businessman/politician from the Itsekiri stock, whom he accused of inducing the military action because of his alleged differences with Mr Government Ekpemupolo, aka, Tompolo, who’s currently on the run after he was declared wanted by the federal government .

Meanwhile, in a statement titled: ‘The Continuous Military Siege on Me and Gbaramatu Kingdom Unfortunate,’ yesterday, Tompolo lamented that his people were being punished for the crimes they were innocent of.

“I wish to humbly express my disappointment and displeasure with the federal government and the Nigerian Military on the continuous siege on me and Gbaramatu Communities under the guise of looking for members of the nascent Niger Delta Avengers.

“It baffles me that the Nigerian military has refused to believe me that I am not part of the group and its activities as contained in several media statements. I am obviously a victim of circumstance in this matter because of my case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),’’ he said.

Tompolo swore that he could not resort to the destruction of oil facilities because of “trumped-up charges’’ against him by the EFCC.

“If not for the common insinuation that the Nigerian Judiciary is on trial, why would my case with the EFCC become the greatest issue in Nigeria today, when there are so many important things to talk about?,’’ he queried.

Like his kinsman, the ex-warlord also accused the Itsekiri businessman/politician of arm-twisting the authorities by the ‘unfounded claims’ that he was behind the Niger Delta Avengers group, when according to him, there is no single proof to back the claim.

However, the Defence Headquarters has said it would be too early to name the suspected members and possible leaders of the new militant group, NDA who were recently arrested by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Warri, Delta State.

The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, in response to THISDAY inquiries, said that those behind the recent attacks at the oil facilities in the region would be unmasked at the appropriate time.
Abubakar called for patience, saying that the issue at hand is of national interest that requires painstaking investigation.

According to him, the shielding of the suspects’ identities would be crucial towards getting more information needed to apprehend the masterminds of the NDA.

He said: “The names will be supplied at an appropriate time. Please we advise that we should be patient with us.
“We want to advise that this is not a matter that should be rushed as it is an issue that has to do with national interest, which require diligent investigation with a view to unravel more information.”

In the same vein, the Commander of JTF Operation Pulo Shield, Maj-Gen. Alani Okunlola, has called for calm and understanding from members of the public.

Okunlola, who responded to THISDAY inquiries about the recent operations, noted that “its still too early as investigation is ongoing.”

The Defence spokesman had on Sunday confirmed the arrest of suspected members of the resurgent militant group, who were allegedly responsible for the attacks on Chevron oil facilities.
“This is to confirm the arrest of some suspected members of niger delta avengers investigation is currently on going,” Abubakar stated .

The DDI also promised that the “military will continue to do its best to guard strategic facilities and provide security to lives and property.”

He noted that the military actions was in line with our rule of engagement and urged the “community and traditional rulers and patriotic citizens to cooperate with us in our efforts to get rid of criminals in our great country.”

Meanwhile, the military authorities had debunked the report that the arrested five suspects in connection with the recent pipeline bombings in the Niger Delta, are staff of Chevron Nigeria Limited.
A very senior military officer who is privy to the ongoing operations, insisted that those apprehended by the military are connected to the NDA.

The top general simply said: “They are not Chevron Staff”, adding that the real identities of the suspects would be revealed after the conclusion of their investigations.

Source : http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/05/17/confusion-trails-arrest-of-ndelta-militants-by-military/

This people are funny.. .. for u to know that someone is not part of the fools called Niger Delta avengers then u must know the real ones right??
Please what u should ask of us fair hearing in the court of law.. ...

And y is it that After the arrest no denying from the stupid group? ?

I know the Nigerian military was lying since...

If you know the ones arrested are not the real avengers that means you know the real ones!!! Good tactics

Can u imagine Tompolo caalling himself a "victim". You werent a victim when u were stealing billions and buying war craft abi??

If u are innocent as u claim, then stop hiding and facethe allegations against u. Only a guilty man flees and goes into hiding

of course we knew those arrested were innocent youths whom they tagged Avengers.The NA is sick

how can you catch a faceless group.
Nigerian military think like boys scout

leaders of Gbaramatu kingdom that are defending those guys may have information for military, i think they should be arrested too.

Confuse government

God save those innocent souls. The army has been falling hands since time immemorial. That was how they shot some innocent persons some months back in Aba and tagged them IPOB protesters just to save face.
I weep for this hell hole some people call a country.

This government and confusion. They go hand in hand.

Confusion is now the order of the day under APC

Confused Country___ Confused Government


Confused KA DIMA

The soldiers of the Zoo arrested innocent citizens in the name of arresting Militants


Dem neva chi chum chin!!

Them no get ID cards or records of them as workers?

with all these problems the country is facing, some people are still trying to destroy our main source of income, nawa.

Was any weapon, IEDs, Dynamites etc... found on them? or where they arrested on a gun ship?
Pls, the NA should let these people go already, and trail the real villains.
The 7-days count down is about time.. Idiots

It hurts when one sees a clear fp opportunity n av
absolutely nothing meaningful to contribute

.

Nigerian Military can never tell the truth to save their lives.
As they are under pressure to produce results, they will resort to arresting elderly people and anyone that cannot run or hide and then claim they are interrogating suspects.


Useless bunch!

This land is not for sale........... Beware......
















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Peace I'm Out

Some people are dumb. They are Chevron workers and chevron is yet to come out to say so?

Pathetic lies. The so called freelance company Chevron used didn't come out to claim the arrested quintet are their workers too. Curiously.

Wen I said it dat d military had learnt d art of propaganda, many wntd 2 chew my moniker. But here it is again. D military arrest innocent youths so as to give false hope dat it has nt bn outsmarted. I'm nt in support of d NDA's actions but dnt come n spread propaganda news abt their arrest wen innocent youths are rounded up. It takes deep Intel to know dis ppl.

Obasanjo, na u spoil this Nation oo... Haba!

Na wa o

Those Ijaw yoot are d one covering up for those guyz

Nigeria military... Kudos... Always ontop of the situation (of telling lies)

dem neva see anytin