Defence chief, ministers head to Delta over pipelines attacks

The Federal Government has sent the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, Minister of Defence, Brig. Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd) and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to Delta State as part of measures to curb the resurgence of militancy in the Niger DeltaThe Guardian reports.

The government’s move is a response to the recent bombing of oil pipelines in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Council of Delta State on January 14. Suspected vandals blew up the Escravos-Warri-Abuja-Lagos pipelines, the Chevron Nigeria Limited’s Utunan-Makaraba crude oil pipeline at dawn the following day and the Olero Gas pipeline on Saturday, January 16.

The visit was confirmed yesterday by military authorities in Delta State. It was learnt that the Chief of Defence Staff and the ministers who are expected to arrive today will hold a series of meetings with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, security chiefs in the state and the Ijaw community leaders over the security situation in Gbaramatu Kingdom.

Earlier, Commander of Operation Pulo Shield, Maj. Gen. Alani Gafar Okunlola had reiterated that community leaders would be held responsible for any act of sabotage perpetrated against the oil and gas facilities in their domain, vowing to fish out those responsible for attacks on oil facilities in some parts of the Niger Delta.