MEND Takes Responsibility For Attack On Italian Oil Vessel!

Niger Delta Rebels, Movement for the Emancipation of Niger delta (MEND) have claimed responsibility for today’s attack on an oil vessel belonging to Italian oil firm, ENI in Nigeria’s troubled, Niger delta.

Jomo Gbomo confirmed that MEND’s fighters carried out the attack in an email to The Times of Nigeria a few minutes ago.

Six people were taken hostage in the attack.

It was the second attack on an offshore oilfield in Nigeria in one week, undermining a five-month ceasefire by armed groups which had raised hopes for peace talks with the government.

The gunmen overpowered the vessel shortly before dawn and used it to attempt to board the nearby Mystras oil production facility, operated by Saipem and SBM Offshore <SBMO.AS>.

“Some speedboats carrying unidentified gunmen assaulted and jumped aboard a supply vessel nearby the FPSO Mystras. Attackers also tried to climb upon the Mystras itself without success,” Saipem parent ENI <ENI.MI> said in a statement, adding that no one had been injured.

The Mystras floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel pumps oil from the Okono Okpoho field. Industry sources said output had been stopped as a precaution during the raid.

The Nigerian Navy dispatched a vessel to the area, located about 20 miles (32 km) south of the Bonny Island oil and gas export complex, the sources added.

Armed groups fighting for regional control over the oil resources of the Niger Delta had observed a ceasefire from the inauguration of President Umaru Yar’Adua in May, who promised to address the underlying causes of the conflict.

However, one prominent rebel leader, Henry Okah of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), was arrested on arms trafficking charges in Angola last month and Nigeria has said it was trying to bring him home to face charges.

MEND also claimed responsibility for last Saturday’s attack on Shell’s EA field, in which seven workers were taken hostage for two days.

MASSOB Leader, Uwazuruike Granted Bail At Last!

The embattled leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State Of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, was this morning granted a three-month bail by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. The MASSOB leader had been denied bail on more than three occasions by the court due to his inability to fulfil the conditions specified by the presiding judge, Justice Binta Murtala Nyako.

While granting Uwazuruike temporary bail this morning, Justice Nyako observed that Uwazuruike had already appealed against her decision to deny him bail and averred that she cannot be seen to grant Uwazuruike bail since he is on appeal.

She, however, maintained that she cannot stop Uwazurike’s mother from resting in peace.

Reading from the affidavit in support of Uwazuruike’s bail application where the MASSOB leader stated that his dead mother cannot be buried without his presence, since he is the only surviving son, she granted him a conditional bail of three months with effect from today, to enable him perform all rites required of him in his mother’s burial.

Uwazuruike is to be in the custody of two serving senators, Uche Chukwumerije and Ikechukwu Obiora, and two traditional rulers, Eze Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu (Eze Ndigbo Lagos) and Eze Nwosu Ibe (Eze Ndigbo of Abuja).

The MASSOB leader is also expected to report to the nearest police station as well as ensure peace and order during the three-month period.

By PM News

Six Taken Hostage As Rebel Attack Halt Agip’s Operation In Nigeria!

 

Gunmen kidnapped six workers from an Italian oil production facility off the coast of Nigeria on Friday, forcing Italy’s ENI to halt production of 50,000 barrels per day, authorities said.

It was the second kidnapping from an offshore oilfield in Nigeria in one week, undermining a five-month ceasefire by armed groups which had raised hopes for peace talks with the government.

The gunmen overpowered an oil industry vessel shortly before dawn and used it to to board the nearby Mystras oil production facility, operated by Saipem and SBM Offshore.

“Attackers managed to climb aboard the FPSO Mystras and seized six workers, whose nationalities are Polish, Filipino and Nigerian,” Saipem parent ENI said in a statement, adding another Nigerian worker is reported to have suffered a slight leg injury.

The Mystras floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel pumps oil from the Okono Okpoho field. Industry sources said output had been stopped.

The Nigerian Navy dispatched a vessel to the area, located about 20 miles (32 km) south of the Bonny Island oil and gas export complex, the sources added.

Oil supply from Nigeria has been down by a fifth since a surge in militant attacks and kidnappings in February 2006.

Armed groups fighting for regional control over the oil resources of the Niger Delta had observed a ceasefire since the inauguration of President Umaru Yar’Adua in May, who promised to address the underlying causes of the conflict.

However, a prominent rebel leader, Henry Okah of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), was arrested on arms trafficking charges in Angola last month and Nigeria has said it was trying to bring him home to face charges.

MEND had threatened to resume attacks and kidnappings, and claimed responsibility for last Saturday’s attack on Shell’s EA field, in which seven workers were taken hostage for two days. No group has yet claimed responsibility for this latest attack.

(Additional reporting by Ian Simpson in Milan)

 

Yar’Adua Orders NCC To Release NIGCOMSAT’s License

President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has ordered the National Communications Commission (NCC) to immediately comply with an earlier directive by former President Obasanjo on May 8, 2007 which urged the Commission to grant Frequency and Operating License and other security requirements to Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited.

According to Niyi Ibietan, Head of Corporate Communications for NIGCOMSAT, the approval of “NIGCOMSAT’s frequency and operating license was conveyed to the Honourable Minister of Science and Technology, Chief (Mrs) Grace Ekpiwhre, through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe.”

“The letter conveying the directive of Mr. President to NIGCOMSAT’s Managing Director/CE, Ahmed Rufai, was dated 23rd October 2007 and signed by Mr. A.Z. Ozodinobi of the Information and Communications Technology Department of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology on behalf of the Honourable Minister. The Ministry of Science and Technology is to liaise with the NCC to implement the directive.”

“The Management of NIGCOMSAT remains thankful to all practitioners of mass communication and other stakeholders for their rational articulations in defence of its position.”

Obasanjo Escapes Mob Attack!

The former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, escaped being attacked by a mob which threatened him in Abuja last night.

The incident occurred at the lobby of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel where the former leader has been holing up for weeks on end, reportedly influencing events within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the National Assembly.

Obasanjo is chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees.

A source said, he had come downstairs from his suite at about 7:30a.m. in order to attend a caucus meeting of the PDP somewhere in the city when a crowd of guests in the hotel caught sight of him.

The crowd reportedly began to make cat-calls at him and as he walked unperturbed, became increasingly excited.

They called him names and began to mobilise to attack him.

Sensing danger, Obasanjo’s security aides and the hotel staff battled to get him to the hotel car park and pushed him into his car.

They couldn’t wait for the car to pick him up at the reception entrance.

Obasanjo got back to the hotel at 11:10 p.m. and sneaked back into his suite.

By Leadership Newspaper