Suspected militants in a twin attack, Monday morning, bombed two oil installations belonging to an oil exploration company, near Batan community in Delta State.
Details of the incident were sketchy at the time of this report, but locals said the explosions occurred at about 12.05 am on Monday.
The double strike came as Niger Delta Avengers debunked the claim by the Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, that he met with the militant group at Oporoza, saying he was apparently defrauded by Niger Delta fraudsters.
Chairman of Batan community, Dickson Ogugu, who confirmed the attack, said, “We heard a double explosion at about 12:05am between Camp 3 and Kokologbene communities.”
A security officer attached to 3 Battalion, Effurun, near Warri, said a team of military personnel has been drafted in company of a surveillance team to ascertain the extent of damage.
Spokesman of Avengers, self-styled Brig Gen Mudoch Agbinibo, while reacting to the alleged visit of Dalung to Oporoza, yesterday, said, “The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, narrated how he met some self-acclaimed Niger Delta Avengers in Oporoza, Gbaramatu kingdom. We are here to let the public know that Niger Delta fraudsters have defrauded the Minister.
“Niger Delta Avengers cannot stoop so low to send representatives to meet a common Minister of Youths that does not know his work.
“Solomon Dalung has been defrauded and played by Niger Delta fraudsters, he did not hold any meeting with us, Niger Delta Avengers.
“Let me make it clear that any meeting with the Avengers that the international community is not part of, we will not be part of such dialogue as well,” Agbinibo added.
Meanwhile, the Niger Delta Suicides – another militant group in the region – has warned that it would devastate the economy in different forms if government refused to create a genuine platform for talks with militants.
The group, in a statement by its spokesperson named Amakiri, said, “We, the Niger Delta Suicides, NDS, wish to warn the present government and those clamouring to frustrate the efforts of Niger Delta Avengers to have a rethink and create a genuine platform for dialogue, otherwise, we will use our oil to survive and they will eat their yam.
“This fight is a fight by everyone, including children yet unborn. Thank God, we have successfully planted Adaka Borohs and Tompolos everywhere. So, we are waiting,” he said.
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