Angry Niger Delta militant strike, blow up facility worth N60 million

Suspected Niger Delta militants have reportedly blown up facilities worth N60 million at the new Norfin Offshore Shipyard located at the boundary shoreline of Ikot Ukpong in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, on Monday.

According to reports, the attack followed the company’s alleged inability to allegedly settle the militants with the sum of N20m.

The attacks, it was gathered, led to the postponement of the commissioning of the shipyard initially billed for January 23, 2021 to January 30, by the Governor Udom Emmanuel, Daily Post reports.

The armed men, it was further gathered, reportedly arrived at the yard at about 5am, shot sporadically to scare off security workers around the site before unleashing their explosives into the multimillion naira dredging facility of the company.

Engr. Iniekong Charles Udonwa, the Chairman of the facility, who confirmed the incident, condemned the damage done to facilities at the shipyard by the suspected militant group from Ogoni part of Rivers State.

According to Udonwa, “they said we cannot start any business with the government of Akwa Ibom without settling them.

“They kept telling our staff to tell the government of Akwa Ibom to reach out to them since they are in charge of both Rivers and Akwa Ibom States. Where do they expect me to get N20m naira from to give them after destroying our machine worth N60 million?”