Confusion as JTF denies ‘bombing’ of oil facility in Bayelsa (updated)

A Niger Delta militant group known as Koluama Seven Brothers has reportedly carried out a “warning” strike on an oil facility owned by Conoil in Bayelsa state.

NAN reports that the attack, which was confirmed by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), was carried out on Friday.

The militants reportedly threatened a production shut down at the facility if their grievances are not addressed.

The militants were quoted as saying they would carry out further strikes if their demands, including job creation, were not met by the company.

Conoil Producing Nigeria operates six highly prospective blocks in the Niger Delta and produces over 80,000 barrels of oil per day.

A subsequent report by NAN said military and community sources in Bayelsa denied the attack.

“After exhaustive verifications following enquiries from media practitioners, we found out that no such incident happened,” Ibrahim Abdullahi, spokesman of the joint military task force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, told NAN.

James Dou, a resident of the area, was quoted as saying: “I am in Koluama 1 as we speak and there is no report of any attack on Conoil or any oil facility nearby. I did not hear any explosion neither did I hear anyone discuss it.”

In the same vein, Mathew Sele-Epri, a community leader in Koluama 1, said the report was false.

“There is no such incident. If it happened I should have known. I have made contact with my people back home and there is nothing like that; it is fake news,” the community leader said.