…Names Disarmament Centres

President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua pressed on with his amnesty package for militants as he insists on strict adherence to the United Nations (UN) standards in reintegration and rehabilitation of militants in the Niger Delta.

The Federal Government also named special centres where the armed men can submit their guns in some states in the oil-rich region and military formations.

Also yesterday, President Yar’Adua directed the chairman of the Presidential Panel on Amnesty and Disarmament of Militants in the Niger Delta, Maj Gen Godwin Abbe (rtd) to arrange a meeting with Mr. Henry Okah and formally offer him the amnesty as proclaimed.

Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, said last night that because the amnesty was voluntary and could not be done by proxy, it was necessary for Okah’s acceptance of it and its terms to be obtained before government could proceed with the next line of action.

Adeniyi explained that “the diplomatic side of the Okah’s matter would be tidied up as soon as his acceptance of the offer is obtained. If it is obtained, government is expected to finish with that in a couple of days.”

As the government forged ahead with the state pardon deal, some armed men yesterday continued with their sabotage of oil firms’ operations.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), which destroyed two well clusters owned by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Forcados, Delta State, claimed that it killed 23 soldiers and sank a gunboat belonging to the Joint Task Force (JTF) during a gun duel.

In a prompt reaction, JTF admitted the attack on the oil facility but denied any confrontation with MEND fighters. The military team said no gunboat was sunk because the destroyed facility was in an unmanned area.

To the Presidential Implementation Committee on Amnesty and Disarmament, Yar’Adua charged it to comply fully with all UN provisions in the operation of the centres in the Niger Delta states.

It was learnt that headquarters, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu will serve as the coordinating centre for disarmament and the demobilisation of militants, who accept the amnesty offered them by the President.

Under the arrangement, weapons surrendered by the militants in centres in the Niger Delta will be kept at the Enugu Army formation.

A breakdown of the centres, shows that Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta States will each have four collection points and two re-integration centres while Edo, Akwa Ibom and Ondo states, where militant activities are less pronounced will each have two collection points and one re-integration centre.

Media Coordinator of the Implementation Committee, Dr. Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, said yesterday that Enugu was chosen “because of a presidential directive that a neutral state outside the Niger Delta be used as coordinating centre.

“We are out in the field to inspect the centres that have been identified by the state governors, for upgrading where necessary to ensure it meets the UN standard as it concerns disarmament and demobilisation. We just arrived in Port Harcourt from Enugu where we have inspected the coordinating centre and we are now in Port Harcourt to look at the location on the invitation of the state government; that will serve as collection and integration centres with adequate facilities that are suitable in line with UN standard.

“The UN standard includes a recreational centre, a functional catering centre, adequate accommodation (hostel) complete with necessary facilities like water, electricity.

Shell, which also confirmed the attack, said it had stopped production in the area as a precautionary measure while it investigates to determine what precipitated the action.

Of late, Shell has been the target of MEND, whose spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, said the sincerity of the government on the amnesty came into question again at the weekend when Interior Minister, Maj.-Gen. Godwin Abbe tied the release of Henry Okah to the outcome of Nigeria’s consultations with the governments of Angola and Equatorial Guinea.

MEND alleged Monday that Hurricane Piper Alpha had struck at the Shell Forcados offshore platform in Delta State yesterday at about 0330 hrs.

“Cluster 11 and 30 are currently on fire after a massive explosion.

“A military gunboat patrol on noticing the fire stumbled upon heavily armed fighters and the confrontation resulted in the sinking of the gunboat with all the occupants numbering between 20 to 23 soldiers.

“We have made it clear that patrols must not open fire at us as our target is the oil infrastructure. This unheeded warning resulted in the death of these soldiers,” MEND said.

But JTF said pipelines belonging to Shell were vandalised by militants at an isolated area off Forcados, in Warri South West Local Council of Delta State.

Shell spokesperson, Mr. Precious Okolobo, who confirmed that incident, explained that the attack occurred on two clusters at the Estuary field in the Western swamp operations. He, however, declined to indicate the barrels of crude oil that were affected.

MEND, which alleged that the government had offered N1 billion to each of its camps, accused Abbe of lying when he said Okah travelled to Equatorial Guinea. According to the group, Okah “never set foot in that country; not even on transit .”

Gbomo said: “MEND will negotiate as a group when the time comes.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Merchant Navy has advised the government to reduce the number of creeks in the region as it provides infrastructure in the Niger Delta.

They appealed to the National Assembly to quickly pass the Coastal Guard Bill into law to allow the maritime police combat the Niger Delta crisis.

At a press conference in Sagamu, Ogun State yesterday, the Nigerian Merchant Academy, which described the crisis in the Niger Delta as a national embarrassment, canvassed adequate training for youth in the area for gainful employment. The Director of Information of the organisation, Capt. Banjo Akintunde, said the training of the youth in maritime related courses and subsequent engagement would stem insurgence in the zone.