JTF Denies Militants’ Bombing Of Conoil Facility

Military and community sources in Bayelsa State have described some media reports of militants’ attack on an oil pipeline in Koluama 1, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state as “fake news.”
Some online media had reported that a militant group blew up a pipeline within Conoil’s oilfield near the Atlantic coastline in Koluama 1 settlement.
Spokesman of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Maj. Ibrahim Abdullahi, condemned the reports in an interview with newsmen yesterday in Yenagoa.
Abdullahi described the reports as a hoax and the handiwork of mischief makers aimed at misinforming the public.
“After exhaustive verifications following enquiries from media practitioners, we found out that no such incident happened.
“We enjoin the media to crosscheck their facts before rushing to the press to avoid publishing falsehood such as this report,” Abdullahi said.
Also, James Dou, a resident of the area told our correspondent on phone that Koluama 1 had been peaceful since the New Year with the joint military task force frequently patrolling the waterways.
“I am in Koluama 1 as we speak and there is no report of any attack on Conoil or any oil facility nearby. I did not hear any explosion neither did I hear anyone discuss it,” Dou said.
Mr Mathew Sele-Epri, a community leader in Koluama 1 and Chairman, KEFFES Rural Development Board, said the report was false.
“There is no such incident. If it happened I should have known. I have made contact with my people back home and there is nothing like that; it is fake news,” the community leader said.
it was reported online that a Niger Delta militant group that styles itself as Koluama Seven Brothers yesterday said it carried out a warning strike on an oil facility owned by energy company, Conoil in Bayesla.
the attack was carried out on Friday by the new group. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps confirmed that a blast was heard on Friday around a Conoil pipeline in Bayesla.