IOCs reconsider Niger Delta security, as MEND ups attack on JTF

International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in Nigeria’s multi-billion dollars oil and gas industry, at the weekend, reconsidered the growing insecurity in Niger Delta-base of their operations.

This followed the claim by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) that it was responsible for the attack on the Joint Task Force (JTF) boat along Nembe-Bassanbiri waterways in Bayelsa State.

MEND, which has continued to bomb oil installations and engage government troops stationed in the region in skirmishes, is a splinter militant group that rejected the Federal Government’s amnesty in August 2009.

Although various officials of the government, including ex-militant generals, had claimed non-existence of MEND, **Daily Independent** gathered at the weekend that the renewed attacks on JTF is sending jitters down the spine of some of the oil companies.

“We have been told that MEND is no more, it is only normal for us to reconsider the security threat posed by MEND, especially when it has began to claim responsibility for attacks on JTF,” a management staff in one of the IOCs told our correspondent on phone.

Meanwhile, MEND’s spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, had, in a statement on Sunday, said the attack was carried out on Saturday by what he described as the group’s trainee fighters.

Gbomo denied speculation that the attack on the military gunboat was carried out by sea pirates.

“This relatively insignificant attack is a reminder of our presence in the creeks of the Niger Delta and a sign of things to come. Contrary to speculations, they were not sea pirates, but a new group of MEND’s ‘trainee fighters’.

“Our silence thus far has been strategic, and at the right time, we will reduce Nigerian oil production to zero by 2015 and drive off our land, all thieving oil companies.”

The group noted that in its new phase of struggle for justice, MEND will pay considerable attention to dealing with Federal Government’s forces in the Niger Delta region.

The JTF in the Niger Delta, codenamed ‘Operation Pulo Shield’, however said that it was winning the war against oil theft despite logistic challenges and shortage of manpower.

Commander of the task force, Batta Debiro, a Major General, made the submission in the 2013 Review of Operations Brief.

Onyema Nwachukwu, a Colonel and Media Coordinator of the JTF, quoted Debiro as saying that the task force remained committed to safeguarding oil and gas facilities despite the difficult terrain of the Niger Delta.

Debiro, who canvassed for the adoption of international best practices in the surveillance of oil pipelines, explained that the use of electronic devices in the pipeline network would trigger warning signals once any sabotage attempt is made.

He urged international oil firms to embrace technology to compliment the efforts of the JTF in safeguarding oil and gas installations in the country.

In the review of 2013 operations, the JTF commander said the task force made several achievements in its crackdown on oil thieves with intensified patrols.

“In the period under review, the JTF successfully conducted several land, maritime and air operations against illegal oil bunkering and refining activities, pipeline vandalism, armed banditry and sea pirates.

“From January to date, the JTF’s operation PULO SHIELD conducted a total of 1,025 anti-illegal oil bunkering patrols, while over 1,951 illegal refineries have been destroyed.

“Also destroyed were 81 barges, 1,117 Cotonou boats, 82 tanker trucks, 1,873 Surface tanks and 1,857 suspects were arrested.

“Additionally, 39,760 drums of illegally refined products, 570 pumping machines and 75 outboard engines used as apparatus to facilitate oil theft were seized and destroyed. Forty Six vessels of various sizes and capacities were also arrested,” Debiro stated.

The commander also said pipeline vandalism has reduced and only isolated cases still occur in remote locations.

“Although limited incidents of pipeline vandalism still occur in the region, JTF operations has drastically reduced their occurrence.

“Those that still occur are mostly in remote areas of the creeks carried out at night between 2300hrs – 0300hrs by criminal gangs who take advantage of the JTF’s limited accessibility of the difficult terrain,” he said.