Militants blow up another NNPC subsidiary's pipeline in Delta

Even with the military’s arrest of the coordinator of the “Operation Crocodile Tears,” mili­tants under the aegis of the Niger Delta Greenland Jus­tice Mandate (NDGJM) have destroyed another major crude pipeline in Afiesere/Iwhrenene in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The delivery line which belongs to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), a sub­sidiary of the Nigerian Na­tional Petroleum Corpora­tion (NNPC) was attacked at about 1am on Tuesday.

The group formally an­nounced the commence­ment of its “Operation Croc­odile Tears” targeted at oil facilities in the upland area of the region.

 

The military had formed “Operation Croc­odile Smile” to check pipe­line bombing in the Niger

Delta region by the mili­tants.

In a statement through its spokesman, Aldo Agbala­ja, the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate claimed re­sponsibility for the attack.

During its “Exercise Croc­odile Smile” the military had claimed it had arrested the militant kingpin behind the “Operation Crocodile Tears”, an operation meant to counter the military operation.

The militant group howev­er did not say anything about the arrest of the suspected mil­itant kingpin whom the mili­tary claimed was its leader.

Agbalaja said: “As a mark of our faith to totally ground the Nigerian oil economy, the gallant ‘Opudo’ strike forces brought down the Afiesere- Iwhrenene major delivery line in Ughelli North, lead­ing to the UPS/UQCC oper­ated by NPDC/Shorelines at about 1am today (Tuesday) 13th September, 2016.

“The High Command of the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate once again says to the deceptive and un­trustworthy Nigerian govern­ment and its cowardly armed forces; our people shall not deal with you on your terms, but on mutual terms. And un­til you drop this deceptive and master/servant posture, ‘Op­eration Crocodile Tears’ shall continue.”

The group warned resi­dents living around major oil pipelines in the upland region of the state to vacate the are­as or face dire consequences.

“Our patience is running out on our people living close to major oil and gas facilities in the upland areas of our region, the more critical assets of the oil sector are still working be­cause we are being careful not to hurt our people. For the last time, leave these areas if you live around them and if you love your life,” Agbalaja said.

A military source con­firmed the attack on the facil­ity to The AUTHORITY.