Killing Sleeping Soldiers Not Our Style—Niger Delta Avengers

Militant group, Niger Delta Avengers has denied Wednesday’s attack on a military houseboat near Warri, Delta State. In the attack, two soldiers and four civilians reportedly died. Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Captain Jonah Unuakhalu said a soldier had been declared missing while another was injured.

The Army spokesman said the suspected militants launched the attack with five speed boats each powered by a 250 horse power engine. He also revealed that the attackers disguised themselves as ordinary commuters and unleashed the havoc when other soldiers who should have been on the boat were out patrolling pipelines.

The Niger Delta Avengers were naturally fingered by many as the possible attackers. In their denial however, the NDA said they were never involved in the attack. In a statement signed by their spokesperson who gave his name as Brig-Gen. Murdoch Agbinibo, the group said: “The Niger Delta Avengers were not involved in the attack of the military houseboat near Warri, Delta State. Killing of sleeping soldiers is not our style. We promise the world that in the process of liberating our people, not a single blood of Nigerian soldiers will be wasted despite the provocation.”

NDA  maintained that their war is on oil installations, not innocent lives. Even those they describe as “inhumane Nigerian soldiers” are exempted from their attacks. The group even promised the families of soldiers who died in the attack that they would bring the culprits to book.

Niger Delta Avengers even took on the proverbial voice of reason in pleading to “all groups parading themselves as freedom fighters.” NDA said: “You can fight for your people without killing innocent souls and NDA have proved it.”

In the statement, the group boasted that it was able to bring Nigeria’s oil production down from two million barrels to just 800,000 barrels.

This morning, at about 2:00am, the NDA intensified its campaign of destruction by blowing up two crude oil pipelines—Ogboinbiri to Tebidaba and Clough Creek to Tebidaba—in Bayelsa State. On their Twitter handle, they claimed: “This is in line with our promise to all international oil companies and indigenous oil companies that Nigeria’s oil production will be zero.”