Massive fire and thick smoke raged at Ikienghenbiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, yesterday, following another attack on a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).
Militants suspected to have been led by persons within the community were said to have vandalised the pipeline.
But sources in the community claimed that a war between rival pipeline contractors over surveillance contract led to the attack of the trunk line.
Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who stormed the community shortly after the incident, apprehended one of the suspects.
Sources from the community blamed the attack on a supremacy battle between two rival militants struggling for control of the Ogboinbiri-Tebidaba crude trunk line which passed through the area.
A source who spoke in confidence said the gunmen unsettled the community with gunshots adding that residents were fleeing the area.
The source said: “It is a conflict between two armed groups for the control of the crude pipeline. One group claims to be working to safeguard the pipeline describing their rival group as vandals. They have been shooting.
“The sound of the gunfire has sent panic waves into the community. But the arrival of the NSCDC operatives has temporarily restored peace in the area”.
The state Commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu, confirmed the attack and said one of the militants identified simply as Peregbakumo was arrested through the help of community leaders.
He identified the facility attacked by the militants as a pipeline along Azuzuama axis of the Tebidaba-Brass trunkline.
He said the pipeline was attacked with dynamite at about 12.30am adding that the community was cooperating with his men to arrest other fleeing suspects.
It was gathered that the incident ignited thick smoke and fire that unsettled the community.
The commandant said after the attack, the armed youths laid ambush in the community and shot a civilian member of the Oil and Gas Task Force in the leg.
But he said the youths took off on sighting the gunboat of NSCDC adding that his operatives later arrested Peregbakumo.
Agu said: “At about 0300hrs, a gang of armed youths allegedly led by one Suoyou, Iyelawei and Fynboy all of Ikienghenbiri community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area vandalised pipeline along Azuzuama axis of the Tebidaba-Brass pipeline with dynamites and ignited fire on the line
Militants suspected to have been led by persons within the community were said to have vandalised the pipeline.
But sources in the community claimed that a war between rival pipeline contractors over surveillance contract led to the attack of the trunk line.
Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who stormed the community shortly after the incident, apprehended one of the suspects.
Sources from the community blamed the attack on a supremacy battle between two rival militants struggling for control of the Ogboinbiri-Tebidaba crude trunk line which passed through the area.
A source who spoke in confidence said the gunmen unsettled the community with gunshots adding that residents were fleeing the area.
The source said: “It is a conflict between two armed groups for the control of the crude pipeline. One group claims to be working to safeguard the pipeline describing their rival group as vandals. They have been shooting.
“The sound of the gunfire has sent panic waves into the community. But the arrival of the NSCDC operatives has temporarily restored peace in the area”.
The state Commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu, confirmed the attack and said one of the militants identified simply as Peregbakumo was arrested through the help of community leaders.
He identified the facility attacked by the militants as a pipeline along Azuzuama axis of the Tebidaba-Brass trunkline.
He said the pipeline was attacked with dynamite at about 12.30am adding that the community was cooperating with his men to arrest other fleeing suspects.
It was gathered that the incident ignited thick smoke and fire that unsettled the community.
The commandant said after the attack, the armed youths laid ambush in the community and shot a civilian member of the Oil and Gas Task Force in the leg.
But he said the youths took off on sighting the gunboat of NSCDC adding that his operatives later arrested Peregbakumo.
Agu said: “At about 0300hrs, a gang of armed youths allegedly led by one Suoyou, Iyelawei and Fynboy all of Ikienghenbiri community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area vandalised pipeline along Azuzuama axis of the Tebidaba-Brass pipeline with dynamites and ignited fire on the line
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