BREAKING: NIGER DELTA MILLITANTS ATTACKS AGIP PIPELINE IN BAYELSA STATE

Gunmen, suspected to be militants, have attacked a pipeline belonging to an oil giant, Nigerian Agip Oil Company, at Ikienghenbiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.The pipeline vandalism was said to have been spearheaded by some armed youths within the community. However, community sources alleged that a supremacy war between rival pipeline contractors over surveillance contract led to the attack on the pipeline.

It was learnt that operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps who stormed the community shortly after the incident arrested one of the suspects.The state Commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu, confirmed the attack on the Agip pipeline.He said one of the militants, identified simply as Peregbakumo, was arrested through the assistance of the community leaders.

Agu said he summoned an emergency meeting of senior officers of the command and gave them a marching order to secure all pipelines, oil installations and other critical national assets in the state.He identified the facility attacked by the militants as a pipeline along Azuzuama area of the Tebidaba-Brass trunkline.The Commandant said the pipeline was attacked with dynamite at about 12.30am, adding that the community was cooperating with his operatives to apprehend the other fleeing suspects.


SOURCE:THE PUNCH