Group condemns militants’ attack on oil facility

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Community Watch of Nigeria (CWN), has condemned the May 4 militants’ attack on Chevron’s off shore platform in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta.

Chief Samingo Etukakpan, the Coordinator of the organisation, made the condemnation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in the oil town of Eket, Akwa Ibom.

NAN recalls that the militants identified as members of Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) have already claimed responsibility for the attack.

The facility is jointly owned by the NNPC and Chevron and is operated by the American oil firm.

Etukakpan said that the re-emergence of militancy in the Niger Delta was a sad development and a threat to the unity and progress of the nation.

He said that the Amnesty Programme of the Federal Government was an elaborate youths’ enhancement package aimed at ending militancy in the region.

“We condemn in its totality the recent attacked on Chevron’s oil facility and wish to advise the perpetrators of the dastardly act to embrace the amnesty programme.

“The recent clean-up exercise in the Niger Delta by the Federal Government shows the good intention of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration towards the Niger Delta region,” he said.

“We in CWN view it as an economic sabotage the recent act of vandalism by the militant group which is capable of resulting in a shortfall in electricity generation in the country.

“We wish to call on Nigerians to join hands with the present administration in moving the county forward,” he said.

He said that the organisation planned to convoke a peace conference for the youths of the Niger Delta to seek more ways of supporting the current administration.