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Insecurity in Niger Delta: Should militants confront criminals?
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By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, Sam Oyadongha, Jimitota Onoyume, Gabriel Enogholase, Festus Ahon, Egufe Yafugborhi, Emmanuel Una, Ike Uchechukwu, Chioma Onuegbu, Emem Idio, Perez Brisibe, Ozioruva Aliu and Paul Olayemi
LATELY, there have been undercurrents from a number of persons who feel Niger Delta militants have turned empty barrels, issuing threats all the time to blow up oil facilities while kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals run riot in parts of the oil region.
Residents resentful of those they call “internet” militants, “laptop” and “newspaper” militants, who they accused of looking for settlement, dared them to confront the criminals terrorizing the people or stop disturbing their peace with endless sound of threats.
Residents of Sangana and other coastal communities in Akassa Kingdom in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State have cried out over loss of their livelihood occasioned by the alleged continuous leakage of crude oil into the environment from an offshore facility in the area.
The Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria (ARFAN) is seeking the intervention of the Nigerian government in getting Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company to pay a fine of $3.6 billion levied on it by an industry regulator for a spill in Bonga oilfield in 2011
Samuel Ayade, coordinator of the fishermen group, made the demand in Yenagoa on Friday, saying fishermen had been grappling with severe difficulties in fishing in polluted waters since a leak during a transfer of oil into a tanker at the Bonga offshore field operated by Shell in 2011, causing 40,000 barrels of oil to spill into the waters.
The settlement of the fine has been outstanding for over eight years now, with a Shell spokesperson saying in 2012 that everything was done to forestall damage to the environment and there was no justification for the penalty in the first place.