MEND destroys Shell platform in Monday attack

In what is turning to be a sharp rebuttal of the presidential amnesty offer, militants in the Niger Delta, Monday morning, launched another attack on the facilities of oil multinational, Shell, when it destroyed the company's Forcados off-shore platform in Delta State.

This is the second attack against the assets of Shell since President Umaru Yar'Adua announced an amnesty plan last Thursday. The plan provides a 60-day window for militants to lay down their arms to benefit from government's post-conflict package. These include rehabilitation and retraining.

Monday's action by the militants was the 11th attack on Nigeria's oil infrastructure in less than a month. This is part of what the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta calls its ‘Hurricane Piper Alpha' operations.

"Hurricane Piper Alpha has struck at the Shell Forcados off-shore platform in Delta State today, Monday, June 29, 2009 at about 0330 Hrs. Cluster 11 and 30 are currently on fire after a massive explosion," MEND spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo said in an email statement. An official of Shell has confirmed the attack.

The company's spokesperson, Precious Okolobo, said: "We have received reports of an attack on two well clusters at our Estuary field in Western swamp operations. Some production has been shut in as a precautionary measure, while we investigate to determine what really happened."

Consultations about Okah

The militant group, in its mail, also accused the Federal Government of insincerity.

"The sincerity of the government of Nigeria came into question again on Friday, June 26, 2009 after the Interior Minister, Godwin Abbe informed the nation that the release of a sick Henry Okah would now depend on consultations with the dictators and despots ruling Angola and Equatorial Guinea," it said.

Henry Okah, a MEND leader, was arrested in 2007 by Angolan authorities and deported to Nigeria where he has been on trial for treason and arms trafficking.

MEND also accused Mr. Abbe, a retired army general of lying that Mr. Okah travelled to Equatorial Guinea. "The fact is that Mr. Henry Okah has never set foot in that country; not even as an airport transit passenger," the group said.

MEND argued that Edward Atatah, arrested alongside Mr. Okah, has been released by the Angolan authorities.

"It is important to remember that Edward Atatah, arrested together with Henry in Angola has long been set free because nothing incriminating came out of that business trip. If it were true that Okah went to purchase weapons as claimed, then Edward would not have been set free because both men travelled together to inspect the fishing trawler in Luanda, Angola which Henry wanted to purchase," the group said.

The Special Adviser to the president on Media and Publicity, Segun Adeniyi had said last week in Abuja that Nigeria needs to discuss with the leaders of Angola and Equatorial Guinea before it releases Mr. Okah.

"I recall that Henry Okah was arrested in Angola and I recall that in Saudi Arabia, the President had a meeting with the President of Angola over the extradition of Henry Okah," he said. "Before the AU Summit in Addis Ababa, the President had a meeting on Henry Okah with the President of Equatorial Guinea.

So this is an issue that involves two other countries and what the President will be doing in the next couple of days will be to send special envoys to these presidents he has had discussions with before Henry Okah was extradited to Nigeria; that this is a decision that has been taken by Nigeria and out of courtesy he needs to inform them that under this amnesty he wants to extend it to Henry Okah.

It is only fair and normal that he will do that after which Henry Okah will be offered the amnesty and, if he accepts, will be released," he had said.