The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, yesterday claimed responsibility for the killing of 12 policemen in the Southern Ijaw area of Bayelsa State on Saturday.
MEND, in a statement sent to National Mirror, said it engaged some security forces in heavy gun duel in Azuzama Town, because its warning of planned attacks on oil facilities was dismissed by security forces.
The group warned that the attack was to show its seriousness to carry out its threat with more attacks.
The statement reads: “For dismissing Hurricane Exodus as an “empty threat” by the Nigerian security forces, heavily armed fighters from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, at about 17:00 Hrs., Saturday 06, April 2013, intercepted and engaged government security forces in a fierce gunfight lasting over 40 minutes at Azuzama, Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
“The clash, which happened in the river left over 15 security forces dead as we also lost two of our fighters in the battle.
“We hope this encounter will serve as a lesson to the Joint Task Force, JTF, from making careless utterances that cannot be backed as we remain resolute in our resumption of hostilities.
“All oil companies and the public are advised to ignore the false sense of security been peddled by the JTF as well as the false comments from a ‘Comrade Azizi’, who claims to be the spokesman for the group. This person is not known to MEND, does not speak for MEND and his utterances and style do not reflect our plans and actions.”
Reacting to the group’s claims, the Media Coordinator of the JTF, Lt. Col. Clement Nwachukwu, confirmed that a group of militants ambushed some policemen on Saturday, adding however that no member of the JTF was killed in the attack.
“Some policemen heading to Oporoma in Ijaw South Local Government for the burial of the mother of someone nicknamed ‘Young Shall Grow’ were attacked by assailants when their boat developed a problem in the waterway.
“JTF troops, however, came to the rescue of the survivors. The five sectors of the JTF covering the nine states in the region are on red alert.
“Our maritime and air assets have also been mobilised and we have intensified our patrols to dominate both land and waterways to checkmate any assailant.
“We will not permit any lawlessness that will jeopardise the peace in the region. We again call on all peace-loving and progressive Niger Deltans to dissociate themselves, their communities and leadership from this gang of retrogrades parading themselves as MEND,” he said.
Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Kingsley Omire, said his command had begun investigation into the killing of the 12 policemen.
Omire said the investigation team was headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Tuesday Asayamor.
The commissioner, who spoke with journalists in Yenagoa, the state capital, said the policemen were still missing and could not be declared dead until the final outcome of the search and rescue operations.
According to him, out of the 50 policemen deployed in Azuzuama community, the 12 declared missing included two inspectors, four non-commissioned officers and six constables.
Omire said the policemen were ambushed by some aggrieved former militants when they were stranded on the river because of a fault in the engine of their speed boat.
He said: “Fifty policemen set out on the assignment to Azuzuama. On their way, one of the boats developed engine fault. A Joint Military Task Force gunboat was moving ahead of them. They were isolated and became soft target.
“Intelligence report has shown that those involved in the armed attack were hoodlums within a former militants’ group supposed to be enjoying amnesty.”
The Police Commissioner denied claims that the dead officers were on illegal trip, noting that their deployment was authorized by him and done to provide security to high profile visitors expected at the burial ceremony of the late mother of an ex-militant leader, Kile Selky Torughedi a.k.a Young Shall Grow
“As I speak to you, some policemen are still at the community. It is the disabled nature of the speed boat conveying the affected policemen that made them soft targets. We had lots of gunboats and security personnel in the area. As I speak with you now, the entire Azuzuama community is condoned off.”
The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson yesterday described the death of the 12 policemen as tragic, shocking and disheartening.
Dickson, who said this in a condolence message to the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, noted that the affected policemen were actively involved in their duty of service to the nation and humanity when the tragic incident occurred.
He said: “The development is a constant reminder of how vulnerable we are in our collective efforts at pursuing and achieving lasting peace and unity in our state and country.”
Dickson eulogised the late policemen, noting that they displayed outstanding qualities in their dedication and commitment to duty as well as patriotism and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of the people.
The governor expressed the condolences of the government and people of Bayelsa State to the entire Police Force and the families of the deceased.
Meanwhile, Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell was prevented from re-entering the company’s drilling site at Yorla town, Khana Local Government area of Rivers State on Saturday by the protesting people of the area.
The community residents numbering about 300, stormed the oil company’s facilities in the Ogoni land, armed with sticks, cudgels and chanting war songs.
Workers of the oil company, who apparently got wind of the protests, abandoned the site before the protesters got to the area.
The Ogonis have been having a running battle with the oil company since the military era.
A clampdown on the members of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, resulted in the 1995 hanging of the leader of the group at the time, Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other persons.
MOSOP Secretary-General, Comrade Dum-Ade John, who spoke with newsmen during the protest at the location in Kpea community, where an oil spill was reported two years ago, accused the oil c ompany of collaborating with the Federal Government to circumvent the law as it relates to the environment.
He further accused a member of the Rivers State House Assembly of being one of the major collaborators.
“We expect the Nigerian Government to respect and recognise the declaration of UNEP (United Nations Environmental Pollution) Report, and I see no reason why Shell will not come and own up, clean up, pay up the damages and finish up with a round table with their people, rather they are drilling the oil on their land despite the damages they have cost them,” John said.
Also speaking, Mr. Ledee Wiko and a MOSOP activist, Comrade Emmanuel Monday Aluzim lamented that the conditions of the Ogoni people on Shell’s re-entry into their land have not been met. “Our condition for Shell to re-enter our land has not been met, so Shell should stay off our land. If Shell has placed premium on their oil including the sustainability of the Ogoni people, Shell would have come to meet all the conditions the Ogoni people gave to them, but they have not done this, rather we were made to understand that recently they came with 10 tankers and siphoned oil at midnight accompanied with some fully armed JTF soldiers,” he said.
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