Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has denied reports that it shut down its flow stations in Bayelsa over fears of attack by militants over negative outcome of polls results.It was gathered that the oil firm reportedly acted to forestall attacks by militants aggrieved by Jonathan’s loss in the March 28, 2015 presidential polls.
Tunu, and Bensede Kussi flow stations of SPDC in Southern Ijaw and Kolokumo/Opokum Local Government Areas Bayelsa were said to be shut down for security concerns.
The council areas were the theatre of militancy and restiveness prior to the amnesty programme and remain the hotbed of activities by oil thieves.
Mr Joseph Obari, Spokesperson for SPDC, said on Friday that the operations of the oil firm were running but declined further details and the shutdown of some of its facilities.
“Our operations are continuing and we will not comment on security issues,” Obari said.
However sources at the Tunu flow station within SPDC’s oil fields in Bayelsa was shut down for operational reasons.
The source who pleaded to remain anonymous said that the shutdown had nothing to do with anticipated attack by militants over polls results.
“Tunu flow station was shut down for operational reasons not because of threat by ex-militants.
“Can we not shut down for operational reasons, what is the big deal if Tunu station is closed down for operational reasons ?.
“I cannot understand why are they eager to drag Shell into all these,” the source said.
The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) had made a u turn from its earlier position where the group commended Jonathan for accepting defeat in the polls.
President of the group Mr Udengs Eradiri had earlier said that the group accepted the election results and would not resort to attacking pipeline and oil infrastructure following Jonathan’s loss at the polls and pledged loyalty to the incoming administration.
But in a surprise twist, Spokesman of the group, Eric Omare said the group was not satisfied with the turn out of the polls.
“The IYC has resolved to call for a National Congress of all Ijaw Youths on Sunday, the 5th of April, 2015 at Tuomo Community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State where all the Ijaw Youths of the Niger-Delta region would meet to review the outcome of the Presidential elections.
“IYC will take a position and determine the next direction of our struggle for self-determination and resource control as enshrined in the historic Kaiama Declaration.
“We call on all Ijaw Youths to be alert and ready to heed the call to the service of the Ijaw nation at this crucial time of our history and struggle for survival in the Nigerian state in the face of the grand conspiracy between the north and a section of the south west to continue to suppress and exploit the resource of the Ijaw nation.
“We recall that when President Jonathan, an Ijaw and from the South South won an internationally acclaimed free, fair and credible election in 2011, General Buhari and his people never at any time congratulated or supported President Jonathan.
“Instead they killed hundreds of innocent Nigerians and fought President Jonathan from the day he became the Acting President of Nigeria in 2010 until the north conspired with a section of the south west to take over the Presidency from President Jonathan and the minorities of the south-south in an election fraught with irregularities.
“It is also significant to note that none of the northern socio-cultural groups such as the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and others congratulated or supported the administration of President Jonathan.
“Northerners created Boko Haram and blame it on President Jonathan deliberately to incite the northern populace against President Jonathan and make him unpopular in the 2015 election so as to take back power in a grand conspiracy with a section of the south west.
“Therefore, the April 5, 2015 meeting of all Ijaw youths would determine the position of the Ijaw Youths on the 2015 Presidential election and our next line of action,” Omare said.
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