Ijeoma Agudosi/Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Federal Government has deployed the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, Minister of Defence, Brig. Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd) and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to the affected area of recent pipeline bombing campaign by suspected militants.
The government’s move is in response to the recent bombing of oil pipelines in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Council of Delta State on January 14.
Suspected vandals had blown up the Escravos-Warri-Abuja-Lagos pipelines, the Chevron Nigeria Limited’s Utunan-Makaraba crude oil pipeline at dawn the following day and the Olero Gas pipeline on Saturday, January 16.
The visit was confirmed by military authorities in Delta State. It was learnt that the Chief of Defence Staff and the ministers will hold a series of meetings with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, security chiefs in the state and the Ijaw community leaders over the security situation in Gbaramatu Kingdom.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Amnesty Office has denied insinuations that Niger Delta youths may have returned to militancy with the destruction of pipelines in the region.