Two militant groups, Utorogu Liberation Movement and Niger Delta Black Emancipation Force – both absed in Delta State – have in separate statements, threatened that they will blow up the Utorogu Gas Plant and other oil and gas facilities in the Urhobo Kingdom, unless the Federal Government attends to their demands. Utorogu Gas Plant is Africa’s largest gas plant.

The two groups, unlike the Niger Delta Avengers, made no mention of sovereignty or release of Radio Biafra Director, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, in their statements. But they demanded the immediate completion of the Delta Steel Complex, the two service companies at the gas plant (Lee Engineering and Marcon Technical Services Limited), which, according to them, have failed to cater for the host community, to be disengaged immediately and new ones, which will be amenable to the needs of the host communities should be engaged.

Also, they want the Federal Government to extend the Ogoniland cleanup to the entire Niger-Delta region, as well as complete the Ajaokuta-Aladja Standard Gauge Rail line and also provide jobs for the youths.

A report this morning in Sunday Telegraph quoted an ex-agitator and former Commander of Zion Gurrab, a Camp under the Niger Delta Actualisation Force, General Emma Shobor, as disclosing that it is his intervention that has prevented the planned attacks by the two militant groups.

He was quoted as saying: “Immediately the militants issued the threat, we swung into action to ensure that such a thing does not take place in the upland. By the special grace of God, nothing like pipeline bombing has taken place in the upland since then. “I will advise that the Federal Government and the Delta State Government to come up with a blueprint to avert the impending attack on oil facilities in the area.

“If government does not come quickly to attend to the demands of these youths, we will not be able to guarantee the safety of the facilities and the people living in the area will continue to feel unsafe.”

•Photo shows Utorogu Gas Plant.

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