FRESH OIL WAR LOOMS IN NIGER DELTA OVER JTF ATTACKS

PROSPECTS for enduring peace in the Niger Delta, Nigeria's main oil and gas basin, are not currently appearing very positive as insurgents are bracing for a renewed ''Oil War'' over alleged ''excesses'' of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in remote oil-bearing communities, and extra-judicial killing of suspected militants.

But, JTF Spokesman for the Operation Flushout 3, operating in the Rivers State axis of the oil region, Lt. Col. Saqir Musa, has been insisting that the special security outfit operates within the bounds of peace operations.

According to him, once our operatives in the frontline arrest a suspected militant, they send him to our headquarters in Port Harcourt for proper investigation. Where we are unable to establish a case against such a suspect, we release him. But where such a suspect has a case to answer, he is transfered to the appropriate authorities for prosecution''.

Musa said the JTF is saddled with the responsibility of maintaining peace, and containing insurgents in order to allow for uninterrupted oil exploration and production activities.

At the moment, it appears the insurgents are set for confrontation with the authorities. Already, the Leader of the Niger Delta Patriotic Force (NDPF), Ateke Tom, has given oil and gas corporations up to February 14, 2009 to shutdown their operations, and leave the volatile region.

This time, Ateke, who spoke through his spokesman, Tamunokuro Ebitari, on-line yesterday, said the renewed oil war is code-named ''Operation Zero Exploration''.

According to the Ateke group, ''we have been unjustly provoked beyond restrain by the JTF. We are now set to respond to their aggression. Our sin is simply because we raised our voice to ask for socio-economic and environmental justice for the peoples of the Niger Delta''.

Also speaking in the same vein, Spokesman for the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Jomo Gbomo, in an on-line statement to our correspondent yesterday, said soldiers should be held responsible for whatever happens in the oil region in the days ahead.

According to him, the JTF is operating as if Nigeria was still under military dictatorship. They are still carrying out the worse forms of repression in the oil-bearing communities, and have refused to stop impunity''.

MEND had in a statement on Friday claimed that at about 11.30 hours, ''the Nigerian armed forces carried out an unprovoked  attack on the camp of Mr. Ateke Tom in Rivers state of Nigeria.

''The forces were repelled in spite of the massive aerial and marine assault and the element of surprise on their side.

''Mr. Tom is a signatory to the MEND unilateral ceasefire of September 2008. During this ceasefire, we had hoped the Nigerian government would take advantage of the cessation of hostilities to embrace dialogue and reconciliation but instead, the government deceived individuals into fake peace parleys where they were arrested and in some cases killed.

''This latest attack is an indication that the Nigerian government prefers to make military inroads during the ceasefire instead of inroads towards genuine peace and reconciliation.

''Because the Nigerian government and military continues to act in bad faith, MEND is compelled to call off its unilateral ceasefire effective 0100Hrs on Saturday, January 31, 2009.

''The oil industry should therefore brace itself for Hurricane Obama; a sweeping assault starting from Rivers state that will change the face of oil and gas exports from Nigeria''.