NIGERIA: MEND Lied on Explosion in Port Harcourt Refinery, Say IYC, NUPENG

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The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) have dismissed the claim by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) that its militia was responsible for the explosion that rocked some pipelines at the Port Harcourt Refinery in River State.
 
The IYC insisted that the explosion was as a result of an attempt by vandals to break into a pipeline leading to the refinery.
 
It said although it was not sure if the actual line was a crude or product line, the volatile nature of the pipeline was responsible for the explosion.
 
Explosion at the Port Harcourt Refinery occurred last weekend and led to the death of eight persons.
 
The group, through its Publicity Secetary, Mr. Eric Omare, yesterday, during an interactive session with journalists in Yenagoa, said preliminary investigations conducted by the three-man committee set up by the IYC over the incident discovered that the explosion was triggered by an open boat engine used by the suspected oil thieves.
 
According to Omare, “We set up a committee over the explosion and we discovered that it was not MEND that was responsible but those suspected to be involved in oil theft and illegal bunkering activities in the area. We discovered that with the poor and uncovered engine used by the suspected oil thieves, explosion was imminent.”
 
Omare said though the incident was unfortunate, the concern of the IYC was the request made to President Goodluck Jonathan on the need for the renewal of the oil pipeline surveillance contract in the region and the involvement of the indigenes of coastal communities in the protection of these pipelines.
 
On its part, NUPENG said MEND’s claim was an attempt to hide criminality.
NUPENG President, Mr. Igwe Achese,  while addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday, also debunked media reports that only seven people died in the explosion, saying at least 50 people died.
 
He explained that some criminals were scooping fuel near the NNPC pipeline, and some of them were smoking cigarettes and other substances.
 
“Petroleum products are highly volatile, it is not an issue of MEND, anyone can claim to be MEND. When you begin to create false alarm, that is a huge threat,” he said.
Achese added that he personally visited the site of the explosion.
 
“We should not heat up the political environment, when these issues are not even true. Yes, there was an explosion and it had to do with product theft” he added.
 
 
Achese stated that oil theft is ongoing issue and a key matter that must be addressed. He alleged that security agents were stationed not too far from where the explosion occurred.
 
 
On the rising protests by Ijaw communities over the proposed Ogidigben Export Processing Zone (EPL) by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the  Delta State Government, the IYC said the development had become worrisome and called on the President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene.
 
According to the IYC, the Ijaw communities of Opopo, Sokubolo in Burutu and Warri South-West Local Government Areas of Delta State are concerned about the tag “Ogidigben” handed the project and a defined Memoradum of Understanding (MoU) on the percentage of benefits to benefiting communities of Itsekiri and Ijaws in the area.
 
Omare however, denied that the protest by the Ijaw indigenes was provoked by the perceived tribal origin of the Delta State Governor, Dr.Emmanuel Uduaghan as an Itsekiri.
 
“It is not true that we want to use our tribal relationship with President Jonathan to curry more benefits over the project. What we are saying is that the present arrangement on the project is wrong and could spark violent reaction.
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