Militants again blow up Agip, Shell trunk line in Bayelsa

THE strike teams of Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, in the early hours of today,Saturday, struck in Bayelsa State, blowing up trunk line belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC and Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC The group, which claimed responsibility for the explosions in a tweet, said: “At About 2.15am on Saturday the @NDAvengers blow up Nembe 1, 2 and 3 Brass to Bonny Trunk Line belonging to Agip and Shell.” Meanwhile, soldiers invaded Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of Gbaramatu kingdom, at about 1.52 am, this morning and were still laying siege to the community as at 8.00 am. The soldiers, who came in no fewer than seven gunboats, allegedly beat up residents, including an octogenarian community leader, Chief Atiti Mala, with the butt of a gun. “They were asking the helpless villagers to produce former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, and members of the Niger Delta Avengers,” a youth leader told Vanguard on phone. Ijaw leader, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, who confirmed the attack on Oporoza, said: “Information available to me is that the military invaded Oporoza again in the early hours of today. As I am speaking to you, they are still there molesting people.” “They have arrested many persons and villagers have fled into the bush, this is wrong, they are going to worsen issues with what they are doing. I posted on Facebook that they invaded Oporoza and a military called me to tell me that they would deal with me. “We are not safe, we have said it over and over that Gbaramatu people are not synonymous with Niger Delta Avengers, they should leave my people along. If they want to kill me, let them go ahead, but I will continue to say the truth, why are they harassing my people, they should harass the militants whose activities we condemn,” he added.