100 Estimated dead in Niger Delta fighting over 3 days
On Saturday the Nigerian military Joint Task Forces in the Niger Delta conducted a full-scale aerial & marine offensive on MEND in Rivers State including Farah Dagogo camps & Ijaw communities. the generic MEND spokesman Jomo Gbomo issued the following communiqué:
The 27 oil workers rescued [Friday] by MEND from the pirates that kidnapped them from the MT Blue Ocean and taken to the camp under attack to be offered as a reward leverage for the release of Henry Okah are trapped in the fighting between our fighters and the Nigerian military forces. The workers are made up of five expatriates from Britain, South Africa and Ukraine, while the remaining twenty two are Nigerians. It was learnt that the military on faulty intelligence as usual embarked on what is now a botched rescue attempt. Some of the oil workers are injured but are being treated with the same local herbs we are using in treating our wounded. The Red Cross or doctors from MSF should be allowed passage to attend to them. Injuries are mainly from high caliber machine guns and shrapnel. Meanwhile, two civilian communities; Elem Tombia and Ogboma have been razed to the ground by the rampaging soldiers who have not been able to take our positions. Civilian casualties are high”.
Yesterday MEND attacked the Chevron facilities at Idama and Robert Kiri, killing many soldiers. More than 20 bodies were flown out and the facilities evacuated of all civilian workers.
This morning MEND attacked Alakiri flow station resulting in more casuslties on both sides. I'm told that Shell and Chevron have now almost finished evacuating all civilian workers from Kula, Ekulama, Robert Kiri, Alakiri, Nembe Creek, Inda, Soku Gas and Cawthorne Channel flow stations.
MEND have stated that their aim is not to take hostages but to destroy oil producing facilities, but all oil industry workers are advised to evacuate all oil facilities in the Niger Delta because they may be killed in future attacks.
It's very hot out in the Delta at the moment so please be very vigilant.