A dreaded leader of a kidnapping and sea pirate gang identified as Humphrey Fazie, was weekend arrested by the operatives of the Joint Military Task Force code named Operation Pulo Shield along the Lotugbene community of Sothern Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State just as suspected pipeline vandals launched an attack on a team of contract workers and security operatives attached to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company? at the creeks of the same community in the state.
LEADERSHIP gathered yesterday from indigenes of the Lotugbene community that the arrested suspected kidnapper was arrested after a tip-off from some concerned member of the community.
In a text message to leadership, a members of the community, said though the community is elated by the arrest due to years of terrorism by the kidnap kingpin and his boys,”the community wishes to call on the state and federal government, to urge the Bayelsa Police Command to expedite action on the prosecution of the suspect to avoid reprisal consequences on the community.”
On Sunday, a team of security operatives and Agip workers on surveillance duty? were ambushed by unknown gunmen. It was learnt that an Agip contractor, a naval rating and unknown number of soldiers were shot by the suspected oil thieves.
The workers were said to have gone to check the pipelines belonging to Agip when vandals who apparently were engaged in illegal bunkering laid ambush and opened fire on them.
The contractor, our correspondent gathered was critically injured and flown to an undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt, Rivers State for treatment.
“The contractor was seriously wounded”, a security source who pleaded anonymity said.Others including the security operatives were said to be receiving treatment in Yenagoa.
The source told our correspondent that the development had compelled Agip to declared a force majeure on its flow stations in Bayelsa State.He said the company only spared its Obama flow station located in the Dorgu Ama and Akakim Ama communities of Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
He said the company declared the force majeure because it could not meet up with its quota and other obligations.He said, “The company said vandalism of its pipelines and illegal bunkering were the reasons why it declared force majeure.”
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