Released were Samuel Emiko and Alfred Timedi, ( Itsekiri) and Isaac Edinde, Henry Arogboritse and Kelvin Mordi (Ijaw), arrested by soldiers while on surveillance duty for a contractor to Chevron.
He noted that the renewed activities of some ‘criminals’ in the region had increased the security challenges there.
Security operatives have recently become the targets of militants and sea pirates in the Niger Delta region, leading to the death of at least 10 soldiers and naval officers in the last one month.
A gang of militants operating in a speedboat reportedly ambushed and killed the soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force (JTF) and carted away their weapons.
The Joint Military Force deployed to protect oil facilities in the Niger Delta on Tuesday confirmed that three soldiers were killed in a gun duel with pirates and militants.
According to a former militant in Warri, Delta State, the word is out that oil corporations are looking out to hire former militants in the area who have been beneficiaries of the amnesty programme.
The group, in a statement yesterday by its spokesman, Mark Anthony, said the entire Nigerian Army was incapable of protecting all pipelines in the Niger Delta.
Shell workers at Nigeria’s Bonga oil field in the southern Niger Delta are being evacuated following a militant threat, a senior labour union official said on Monday.
It was after my suit in court, challenging Abacha and asking that PRC composition be set aside by the court until Igbo were given their rightful place that Abacha then reversed the composition of PRC and appointed some Igbo.
Following the blowing up of Chevron’s Valve Platform Wednesday night by Niger Delta militants, Nigeria will be losing an estimated $5.3 million daily, equivalent of N1.05 billion.
