Nigerian Government Issues Ultimatum (Daily Sun)
The Federal Government on Tuesday issued a-48 hour ultimatum to Bayelsa State Government to ascertain the whereabouts of 12 soldiers and nine oil workers declared missing after an encounter with the militants in the state on Sunday.
The government said the soldiers and oil workers must be produced dead or alive before the expiration of the ultimatum.
Consequently, the government threatened a military operation in the state on the expiration of the deadline.
Already, the Commander of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Restore Hope, Brig.-Gen. Lawrence Ngubane, visited Government House, Yenogoa, on Tuesday, to convey the latest development to the state government.
It was not, however, clear if Ngubane, who departed 93 Battalion, Effurun, headquarters of JTF on Tuesday morning, met the state Governor, Mr. Timipre Silva - Sam.
The militants attacked Ogboinbiri flow station of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company on Sunday, apparently to avenge the killing of their kinsmen on Wednesday by soldiers on surveillance duty on the oil platform.
It was gathered that nine out of the 11 unarmed youths who were on their way to a community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in Bayelsa State were allegedly killed by the troops attached to the JTF.
Although the authorities of JTF were hopeful that the soldiers and the oil workers were still alive, investigation revealed that they might have been killed by the militants.
The spokesman of JTF, Major Omale Ochagwuba, declined to confirm if the soldiers were killed or abducted.
However, our correspondent learnt that the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Owoye Azazi, who supervises the JTF, contacted Ngubane on Monday evening and intimated him with the position of the federal government on the incident.
Azazi reportedly directed Ngubane to convey the position to Silva-Sam in Yenagoa on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, uneasy calm reigned at JTF‘s headquarters in Effurun, Delta State , on Tuesday due to fate of the troops of the outfit.
Officers and men of the security agency met in groups discussing the fate of their colleagues amidst reports that the authorities were preparing for a military operation to dislodge the militants from the oil platform.
Ngubane, in a telephone interview on Tuesday, confirmed that he visited Yenagoa but he declined to give details of his mission in the area.
”I am in Yenogoa and I am in a meeting now. I don‘t have time to entertain questions at the moment,” Ngubane said before he hung the phone.
But a senior officer of JTF confirmed the ultimatum to Bayelsa state government by the federal government.
The source, who craved anonymity, said Ngugane was mandated to deliver the deadline to Silva - Sam.
In a related development, nine Ijaw youths were on Monday night arrested by the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Restore Hope, on the Abiteye production platform of Chevron Nigeria Limited in Delta State .
Also, the American oil firm regained the facility on Monday night, shortly after the protesting youths from Benikrukru community were dislodged from the platform by the troops of JTF.
The troops of JTF were supported by some indigenes of the community.
Our correspondent learnt that reinforcement sent to the platform by the Commander of JTF, Brig.-Gen. Lawrence Ngubane, overpowered the youths and freed the facility on Monday night.
Strike Still On, Oil Prices Rise (Associated Press)
Oil prices inched up Tuesday, setting a nine-month closing high, after labor unions in Nigeria rejected the government's efforts to avert a nationwide strike. Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer and one of the top overseas suppliers to the United States.
Light, sweet crude for July delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose a penny to settle at $69.10 a barrel, the highest close since Sept. 1.
Labor unions on Tuesday rejected the Nigerian government's offer to halve a price hike on automobile fuel, only hours before its strike protesting the increase was set to begin.
The unions are threatening to target the strike action at the oil industry, with the aim of stanching oil exports that count for 90 percent of the government's income.
Continued violence in Nigeria also has kept oil prices within striking distance of $70 a barrel.
Recent attacks by villagers and gunmen cut supply at two Nigerian oil facilities. Hundreds of angry villagers chased workers away from a Chevron Corp. oil-transfer facility Monday in southern Nigeria. Gunmen also seized some two dozen Nigerian workers and security forces at a flow station operated by Italian energy giant Eni SPA's subsidiary Agip.
Militant leader Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, freed on bail, said Tuesday that armed groups in Nigeria's restive south will stop attacks on oil facilities to give the new government a chance to deal with the region's problems.
However, he warned there would not be an immediate end to the seizure of foreign workers.
Also supportive of crude prices is news of a potential strike by oil workers in Brazil. Workers at state-run oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA, or Petrobras, may go on a five-day strike beginning July 5, Brazil's main oil workers' union said in a news release.
"In a bullish market, every thimble full of oil counts," said Peter Beutel, president of U.S. energy risk management firm Cameron Hanover. "Every little bullish feature will loom large."
Traders are also looking ahead to the weekly inventory report from the Energy Information Administration due out Wednesday. According to analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires, gasoline supplies, which were unchanged in last week's report at 201.5 million barrels, are expected to increase by an average of 1 million barrels.
A rash of refinery disruptions in the last several months have reduced gasoline supplies, which have been at the low end of historical averages during the summer driving season.
Refinery utilization is expected to increase by an average of 0.6 percentage point to 89.8 percent of capacity, following two straight weeks of declines.
Analysts estimate an average gain of 900,000 barrels to 123.5 million barrels for distillate stocks, which include heating oil and diesel fuel. Oil inventories are expected to fall by an average of 150,000 barrels.
Brent crude lost 34 cents to close at $71.84 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.
In other trading on the Nymex, gasoline futures slipped 2.97 cents to settle at $2.2346 a gallon. Heating oil futures dropped 0.74 cent to end at $2.0268 a gallon, and natural gas prices fell 17.1 cents to $7.519 per 1,000 cubic feet.
The Nigerian Army has sent more troops to drive militants from an oil plant they have occupied in Bayelsa State since they abducted 27 people there at the weekend.
"Following the reverses we have suffered in our attempt to secure the platform with minimum force, we decided to increase the number of our troops and the grade of armament, so as to save a very bad situation," a military officer told AFP on Tuesday, on condition of anonymity.
Suspected rebels attacked a flow station operated by Agip, a subsidiary of Italian oil company, Eni, in the southern Bayelsa State on Sunday in what military sources said was a reprisal for last week's killing of nine militants by soldiers.
Eni said that 16 of its Nigerian employees and 11 soldiers guarding the facility had been seized in the attack while another eight employees and 40 soldiers escaped.
An industry source, meanwhile, said on Tuesday, he doubted the soldiers would be able to dislodge the militants from the facility. "It won’t be an easy task to dislodge the boys. What they do is that they mine the platform as soon as they take it over, and they challenge the soldiers to dare (to) fire a shot. If a shot is fired, the entire area will go up in flames," the source said.
Kidnappings and armed attacks have intensified in the Niger Delta region, where some 200 foreigners and scores of Nigerians have been abducted since the start of 2006. These kidnappings, coupled with acts of vandalism and sabotage, have cost Nigeria an annual revenue loss of 4.4 billion dollars.
Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, leader of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDVF), says he is not in a position to stop hostage taking by militants in the Niger Delta.
He told reporters at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, yesterday that he could not stop the act, “since it was precipitated by the Federal Government."
The NDVF leader said it was the responsibility of the Federal Government to take appropriate measures to stop the trend.
He, however, said he had been rallying the various militant groups in the Niger Delta to find a lasting solution to commercial hostage taking and forge a common front for advancement of the region’s struggle.
Speaking at a reception held in his honour by Niger Deltans in Lagos, he said he had spoken to leaders of some Niger Delta militant groups including Ateke Tom and that soon a meeting would be held to fashion out a way forward for the region.
He also solicited support for Vice President Goodluck Jonathan whom he described as “a good man,” adding that Jonathan’s emergence as the nation’s Vice President had put a “K-leg” in the Niger Delta Struggle.
“On the issue of hostage-taking, I want to condemn it in all its ramifications. It is not because anybody asked me to condemn it. You cannot claim to be doing justice when you are doing injustice to another person. The people who came to work in the Niger Delta were brought by an unjust law,” he said, adding: “When you catch people and you confine them and you ask for money not for the struggle, it is sinful. If it is for the struggle, it is a different matter.”
He also asked for the release of MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, saying his (Dokubo’s) freedom would not be complete without the release of Uwazurike.
Dokubo, accompanied by his lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, also reiterated his position that former President Olusegun Obasanjo be prosecuted for his evil deeds while in power. He insisted that the former President must be made to account for all monies made during his eight-year administration, adding that the nation has not felt the impact of huge sums of money made during Obasanjo’s administration.
Coordinator of Ijaw Monitoring Group, organisers of the reception, Mr Joseph Evah, said Dokubo was in Lagos to thank the press, the civil society and the Niger Delta people for their role in ensuring that he regained his freedom. He said the struggle in the region had just begun.
Speakers at the reception included Comrade Ayodele Akele, Festus Keyamo, representatives of the Arewa Youths Forum, Oodua People’s Congress, MASSOB, Northern Friends of the Niger Delta, among others.
On what he was expecting from the Yar’Adua’s government, Dokubo said the only solution to the problems of Nigeria was the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference, adding that Nigerians were ready to dialogue on the future of the country.
According to him, the leadership of the country had always shied away from dialogue because many want the status quo of oppression and suppression to continue.
Former Governor of Lagos State Praises Asari Dokubo (Vanguard)The immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Sen Bola Tinubu has faulted the existence of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as a panacea to solving the Niger Delta problems, saying it is not the solution to the region.
Tinubu, who spoke during a “thank you” visit on him at his Lagos residence by the just released leader of the NDPVF Asari Dokubu explained that the commission is just “a patronage organization which can not solve the problem” of the region.
He emphasized that it is by conveying “a forum of the stake holders, which would involve the oil companies, leaders of thought and traditional ruler in the area” that a lasting solution can be found to the recurring problem.
He praised Dokubo for his unrelenting efforts towards the cause of his people despite his 21 months incarceration, while asking Dokubo to immediately seek medical attention.
“We are the same; we work towards the same goal. We have a common conviction.
“You have been honest in your cause. But you have ill-health; you need to urgently take care of yourself.
“It is agreed unanimously that there is high degree of environmental degradation and high degree of injustice. We must come together to find a permanent solution that would promote the emancipation of our people.
Responding, Dokubo thanked Tinubu for his support, pledging to be steadfast in the quest to salvage the people of the area, saying “I cannot be free when my people are still in bondage”.
Dokubo recalled Tinubu’s humanitarian gesture towards his family while he was in detention and apologized to the former governor for turning down some of his offers.
“I want to thank you for the love you showed to my family. When I was in detention, you provided accommodation for my wife and children in Lagos and you paid my children’s school fees.
“We have never met but you showed me love. I am sorry that I asked my wife not take up the accommodation. It is not out of disrespect.
“It is only proper that my family remain within our locality to continue the struggle.
“If they had moved to Lagos, people will say they fled and the struggle would have been defeated”, the militant leader said.
He emphasized that “no amount of intimidation, detention, or killings would make me abandon this cause”.
Earlier, the facilitator of the visit, Prince Tonye Princewill, who was the gubernatorial candidate of the Action Congress (AC) in Rivers state during the last April polls, urged the duo of Tinubu and Dokubo to build a common front in other to achieve democratic goals for the citizenry.
“You have both faced intimidation, you have both been oppressed by a dictatorial government and your coming together to face a common enemy will make Nigeria a better place to live in”, Princewill said.
As Other Companies Flee, KBR Opens a Nigeria Office in Lagos
HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KBR (NYSE:KBR) announced today the founding of KBR Nigeria Ltd. in Lagos, Nigeria. The establishment of KBR Nigeria Ltd. will enable KBR to more fully support its Nigerian customers and further its commitment to meeting the country’s goals for increased local content.
KBR has a 30-year history working in Nigeria and a continuous presence for the last 15 years, which includes ongoing EPC work for the country’s major LNG projects and for its first GTL facility. KBR has additionally performed work for a number of Nigeria’s refining, ammonia, and onshore and offshore oil and gas production and processing projects.
The Nigeria operation will enable KBR to build local support for its clients while ensuring close coordination with its global engineering centers. “Our decision to establish KBR Nigeria Ltd. is strongly aligned with our commitment to helping develop local capabilities and delivering world-class projects in Nigeria and in all of the places where we serve our clients,” said John Rose, executive vice president, KBR. “KBR Nigeria Ltd. will allow us to more fully integrate local engineering talent while maintaining close coordination with our global execution centers to support our ongoing projects.”
The joint venture team of KBR, JGC, Technip and Snamprogetti, was recently awarded the project specification/front end engineering and design (FEED) contract for the Nigeria LNG (NLNG) SevenPlus project, to be constructed at Bonny Island, Nigeria. NLNG is a partnership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Shell, Total and ENI. The award of the FEED is part of a competitive bid for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract, which is expected to be awarded by the end of 2007. The joint venture of KBR, JGC, Technip and Snamprogetti was chosen to design and build the first six trains for NLNG, beginning in 1989. Trains one through five are complete, and train six is under construction and is expected to be completed on schedule by the end of 2007.
KBR is a global engineering, construction and services company supporting the energy, petrochemicals, government services and civil infrastructure sectors. We offer our wide range of services through our Energy and Chemicals (E&C), Government and Infrastructure (G&I), and Ventures business segments. For more information, visit www.kbr.com.
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