Security Experts from Britain, U.S, and Nigeria Meet Today

The Niger Delta oil fields, a major point of conflict in Africa

Top American intelligence and military officers as well as their British counterparts will, today, in Abuja, engage top Nigerian security chiefs under the Gulf of Guinea Energy Security Strategy (GGESS) to explore fresh initiatives towards ending militancy in the Niger Delta region, in particular, and a secured business environment in the entire Gulf of Guinea.

GGESS was initiated by the Federal Government in 2005 as a collaborative effort with key foreign governments to find a lasting solution to the security of oil and gas supply from the Niger Delta. It is also to promote sustainable development of the region in a climate of peace.

If successfully implemented, the GGESS initiative is expected to be replicated in other countries in the sub-region. The strategy seeks to build strong partnerships between the Nigerian Government and foreign governments interesteds in the co-ordinated effort to stamp out oil theft, illegal small arms dealings and money laundering with particular emphasis on the Niger Delta.

At inception, the US Government collaborated with Nigeria in establishing the GGESS. The United Kingdom which initially attended meetings as an observer eventually joined the group as a full member. Nigerian representation to the GGESS is drawn from the NNPC, the Nigerian military and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The GGESS has four work groups to facilitate the achievement of set objective: the Small Arms Control, Maritime Security, Money Laundering and Sustainable Development.

Read More...

Another sign of attempts to improve stability and security in Nigeria, this article shows that some officials are trying to battle the seemingly endless flow of corruption and violence. Although this step forward will be met with almost as much movement backwards, hopefully the overall trend in Nigeria is progressive.

Nigeria Tracing Militant Pipeline

Nigerian oil officials are to start digging up an oil pipeline found at a militant's abandoned hideout to see if it runs to a refinery about 2km away.

The army claims the pipeline was used by Ateke Tom, the head of the Niger Delta Vigilantes, to steal oil.

A BBC reporter says the pipeline, found earlier this week, is visible for about 500m before disappearing underground.

Mr Tom is accused of being behind much of the lawless money-making schemes causing havoc in the oil-rich region.

He is wanted by the authorities for a string of bank robberies, incidents of piracy, stealing crude oil and kidnappings.

His present whereabouts is unclear, but contacted by the BBC by phone Mr Tom denied laying the pipeline to his former base near Okochiri about 20km-30km from the regional capital, Port Harcourt.

Instability and violence in the Niger Delta region over the past few years have led to a significant drop in Nigeria's oil exports.

Read the full story...

Ateke Tom, the head of the Niger Delta Vigilantes, has been stealing oil from a pipeline that runs near his former hideout. His group is the major cause of violence and terrorism in the Niger Delta region. He is wanted for stealing oil, kidnapping, and several bank robberies. His present whereabouts are unknown, but the government is searching for him. Capturing Ateke Tom for good could help put an end to some of the unrest in the Niger Delta region for good.

Grade this Post

MEND Chief Charged With Treason, Gun Running

About one month after they were extradited to Nigeria from Angola over gun-running charges, the Federal Government yesterday filed treason charges against the detained leaders of Movement for the Emancipa-tion of Niger Delta (MEND), Henry Okah and Edward Atatah.They were accused of terrorism, illegal importation of firearms and gun running.

At the Federal High Court, Abuja where the charges were filed, it was revealed that Okah was charged in absentia last year with treason and other offences. The defence was handed a copy of the 14 charges made against Okah in December, after his arrest in Angola before he was extradited to the country. If found guilty, Okah faces death penalty.

According to the charge, Okah and Atatah who are 42 and 43 respectively in September 2007 travelled from Nigeria to Luanda, Angola to buy shipping vessel worth USD670,000 to be used to transport arms to militants in the oil rich Niger Delta. Federal Government argued that the offences contravened section 41 © of the Criminal Code Act (CPA) Cap 77 laws of the federation of Nigeria 1999 and punishable under Section 41.

The accused were said to have sold and provided 250,000 assault riffles, general-purpose machine guns, rocket propelled launchers /canisters, bazookas and assorted ammunitions to armed groups such as the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Icelandic Cult and the MEND to levy war against the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Yenegoa, Port Harcourt, Delta and other places contrary to section 37(1) of the CPA.

Read More...

Nigeria has many illigitamate militant and non-militant groups representing the large number of minorities present in the country. Some groups that may seem somewhat non-confrontational are actually aiding the violent nature of other groups without endagering themselves as much. These militant groups are a bad sign for a newly democratic, country, because militants in true democracies seem to be ineffective, and from the sheer number of militant groups in Nigeria, we can conclude that they are somewhat effective.

Grade This Post.

Militants Blackmail Nigerian Government

Militant groups in Nigeria’s Niger-Delta region are now demanding a payment of $3 million per any vandalised spot on the crude oil pipeline passing through the Chanomi creek channel before repair works should be carried out lest the efforts be frustrated aggressively.

It was gathered that there are about 23 vandalised spots on the pipeline and that the militants in the area are demanding the sum of $3 million per spot to be paid otherwise no repair work would be allowed to commence.

It was gathered that a contractor was granted access to the Chanomi Creek Channel in the first place because certain access fees were paid to the militants.

At a recently held oil and gas conference in the Nation’s capital city, Abuja, the immediate past boss of the state owned NNPC stated that he was having difficulties getting a contractor to go in and effect repairs on the pipeline in the Chanomi Creek channel.

Read more here. This story also directly relates to this one.

The fact that the Nigerian government is not able to fend of black mail like this and has fallen victim to similar schemes before does not bode well for its stability. This story reveals that freelance militant groups hald much power in Nigeria, and some hold more power than the government in some instances.
Grade this.