Hoodlums Blow Up Agip Facility In Rivers …Demand N300m Compensation …Army Rebuffs Cultists Pressure

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (right), welcoming the Executive Director, Under Secretary General of UNAIDS, Mr Michel Sidibe, during his courtesy call to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday

Pandemonium rocked oil-rich Akala-Olu community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday, masterminded by suspected hoodlums in the area.
The inferno, which produced thunderous sounds, shook the entire community, emitted smokes and was unbearable on the residents, forcing them to seek safer grounds elsewhere.
Dependable community source disclosed that the suspected hoodlums dropped a note after setting the Agip well-5 ablaze.
They demanded the immediate release of one of their members who was arrested  late January, 2016 and payment of N300million to them or they would continue to vandalise any oil facility belonging to the Italian oil giant in the area.
The source added that the residents have fled their homes for fear of the fire razing their homes as well as escape from the wrath of the underworld men who had besieged the community.
The Paramount Ruler of the community, Chief Augustine Ogide told our correspondent that he was awoken by the conflagration which occurred between 12 midnight and 1.oo am that fateful Saturday
“I was told by some of my subjects that they heard several sounds of gun shots within the well-5 location, which is now in flame, although, we have not seen face to face, but we believe that the hoodlums must be responsible, because they have been terrorising my  community these days,”. Ogide said.
They equally ordered my subjects who have fled the community to come back’, he added.
The paramount ruler said Nigeria Agip Oil Company has sent in their fighting trucks which were unable to quench the fire.
Agip staff, who spoke to The Tide on condition of anonymity, said that the fire has  gone under the well, burning seriously which proved invisible for the fire fighters.
He assured that the fire-men were devising another means of ensuring that the fire does not escalate, but refused to comment on anything concerning the N300 million demanded by the hoodlums.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach Agip Public Affairs Officer was not fruitful as his phone number was not connecting before filing this report.
Meanwhile, the 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, has vowed to resist any attempt by suspected cultists in Ahoada West Local Government Area, to make it release one of their members, Emmanuel Odum, accused of pipeline vandalism and cult-related activities until the matter is concluded.
In a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Captain Eli Lazarus, the 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, said the suspected cultists, last Sunday, destroyed a gas facility belonging to Nigerian Agip Oil Company in Akala Olu community with a threat to carry out more destruction unless their demands are met.
The statement warned that the Army will deal decisively with anyone found vandalizing pipelines.
The 2 Brigade Army Command also warned politicians in the state against breaching public peace, particularly during the forthcoming re-run elections in the state.

Emenike Benson Agimo