Militant Group's Warning Sparks Concerns of Oil Exploration Disruption in Niger Delta

RNDA, a militant group, has issued a dire threat to halt crude oil exploration activities in the Niger Delta region. This ominous warning is in response to allegations against Mr. Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC Limited, Chief Executive Officer Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL. The RNDA claims that he secretly awarded pipeline maintenance contracts to certain Northern oil contractors while excluding those from the Niger Delta.

RNDA made this declaration following an emergency meeting involving nine militant groups led by self-styled Major General Johnmark Ezonebi, also known as Obama. They have explicitly threatened to disrupt the secretly awarded contracts. They detailed that LOT 2 was awarded to AARANO, encompassing the Escravos-Warri crude oil pipeline, the Warri-Benin Products pipeline, and the Benin-Ore products pipeline, which includes the Escravos Terminal Products crude pipeline to Warri Refinery and the Benin Products pipeline to Ore Depot.

Furthermore, they noted that LOT 4 was granted to MRS Oil Company, owned by Sayyu Dantata, covering the Atlas Cove products crude pipeline depot to the satellite depot. This lot included the Mosimi-Ore products pipeline, the Ibadan depot, the Ilorin depot, the Ibadan-Ilorin products pipeline, the Atlas Cove-Mosimi/Satellite products pipeline, the Mosimi depot, and the Mosimi-Ibadan products pipeline. They emphasize that this is the most lucrative contract among all, and it was handed over to MRS Oil Company, owned by Sayyu Dantata.

LOT 1, on the other hand, was awarded to Oilserve Company Limited, owned by Engr. Dr. Emeka Okwuosa, an Igbo man. Additionally, it comprises the Port Harcourt Refinery-Bonny Export Terminal products pipeline (35 km) and Bonny Export Terminal-Loading Jetty products pipeline (32 km) to Bonny Export Terminal facilities.

The RNDA announced that they, together with the coalition of the nine militant groups comprising the RNDA, had reached a collective decision to resume attacks and the destruction of pipelines and various oil and gas installations. These actions would target locations along the Trans-Escravos-Warri Refinery route and other NNPC major delivery lines within the creek of the Niger Delta.

This ominous declaration by the RNDA and the coalition of militant groups underscores the simmering tensions and grievances within the Niger Delta region, particularly concerning the allocation of contracts and opportunities in the oil and gas sector. It also raises concerns about the potential consequences of renewed attacks on vital infrastructure in the region, which could disrupt oil production and have far-reaching economic and security implications for Nigeria. The situation warrants close attention and calls for dialogue and negotiations to address the underlying issues and prevent further escalation of hostilities.