Police, Avengers disagree over attack in Akwa Ibom

Avengers

Despite claims by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), through its tweeter handle that it blew up the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC) Pipeline in Oruk Anam Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, the police yesterday refuted the attack.

It described what happened as an accident caused by leakage of gas pipelines in the area.

Akwa Ibom State Police Commissioner Murtala Mani said there was no militant attack.

But a highly-placed source at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Jubilee in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the attack on the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline.

The source said: “Yes there was an attack on the pipeline. The pipeline is between Akwa Ibom and Rivers states boundary along Ikot Abasi – Port Harcourt road.

“Right now engineers from NNPC, Port Harcourt are there working on the pipelines. Our officers and other security agencies are also there too.”

But the Police boss said what happened was a technical problem and that some engineers from Port Harcourt, Rivers state were currently working to rectify the leakage of gas from the pipeline.

CP Mani said that the Akwa Ibom state was safe from the activities of the militant group.

The gas pipelines were owned by the Seven Energy company, the operator of Ibom Gas Power Plant in Uquo in Esit-Eket local government area of the state.

The community, Ikot Osutek, where the incident occurred is along Ikot Abasi-Ogoni-Port Harcourt axis of the East West Road in Akwa Ibom.

The exact place where the attack took place could not be ascertained by our reporter as at the time of filling this report.

There is fear among residents of Akwa Ibom over the sudden emergence of the Niger Delta Avengers in the state

The tweet from the NDV reads: “At 4.00am @NDAvengers blow up NNPC Pipeline in Oruk Anam Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom.”