Two key members of the Amalgamated Niger Delta Avengers who posed as militants and demanded a ransom of N20 million from an oil company in Rivers State to prevent the abduction of their workers have been arrested by a crew from the Inspector- General’s Intelligence Response team.
In a press release announcing the arrests, the police said, “On Wednesday 11th April 2018, sequel to several reports of threats received by Niger Delta Petroleum Resources (NDPR) located in Obumeze Community, Ahoada LGA Rivers by a group named- Amalgamated Niger Delta Avengers.”
“Operatives of the IGP- Intelligence Response Team IRT deployed to PH by IGP Ibrahim Idris swooped into action and arrested two (2) principal actors who posed as militants and threatened the company.”
The news of the arrests of the militants comes on the heels of a failed attempt at bombing a pipeline at the Chevron flow station in Escravos, Warri- Delta state last Tuesday.
It was gathered that a two kg seismic dynamite was fitted with a 13-metre wire and an electric detonator, was connected to the base of an oil pumping pipe in the flow station to execute the bombing.
The Improvised Explosive Devise was disposed of at about 1.30 a.m on the 10th of April. Deputy Superintendent of Police Kunle Adegoke, who headed the bomb disposal unit that detonated the device, said the culprits are probably militants.
“We suspected the planters to be militants. We also suspected that they wanted the heat from the pipelines to detonate it. The heat would have ignited a big blow on the oil sector of the economy because it was a weighty kilogram.”
The series of attacks are coming at a time when Nigeria’s foreign reserves stands at $47.3 billion; oil price is at $73 and the country is hoping to increase oil production to 1.4 million barrels per day and inflation rates are on a steady decrease.