blown up well

Niger Delta militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, has announced it blew up two oil wells operated by Chevron at about 3:44am this morning.

The group described the wells as RMP 24 and RMP 23 and claimed they are “Chevron swamp highest producing wells.” The development is bound to worry the Federal Government and indeed, many Nigerians coming after the government made massive military deployments to the area. The deployments comprising all three arms of the Armed Forces—Army, Navy and Air Force are backed by a hundred gunboats, four warships, several fighter jets and helicopters.

The Armed Forces have mounted round-the-clock surveillance around oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta, moving many observers to conclude that militant activities in the region are as good as contained.

Apart from the above, the military has in the past week, laid siege on Gbaramatu Kingdom where Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo comes from. Tompolo who founded the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) appears to be a key suspect in the military’s search for people who are behind the Niger Delta Avengers.

The military operation in communities such as Oporoza, Kuritie and Kokodiagbene has seen towns and villages deserted by frightened inhabitants. Indeed, many Nigerians believed the group had been significantly subdued.

Apparently, referring to operations of the army in the area and their ability to strike in spite of it all, the Niger Delta Avengers tweeted: “This is to show the whole world that the Nigeria Military is good in harassing innocent civilians.”