A Niger Delta group, the Concerned Militant Leaders
(CML) yesterday afternoon, seized a ship with
Liberian flag along Bakassi Peninsula of Nigerian wa
terways.
This is even as the group disclosed that the next
target for attack would be Frontier Oil in Eket, Akwa
Ibom State.
Daily Sun gathered that the vessel was heading to
the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Bonny,
Rivers State before it was intercepted by the mili
tants.
Spokesperson of the CML, General Ben, disclosed
that they seized the ship as part of their grievances
against the Federal Government and to cripple the
economy.
Ben, in a statement yesterday evening, said they
were yet to ascertain the number of crewmembers
onboard the vessel, adding that they had every other
information about the ship.
“The vessel has the following details (excluding
crew onboard), MMSI: 636015354; IMO: 9113551;
gross tonnage: 25,202; Country Flag, Liberia; Crude
oil tanker and Pilot, Captain Marcus,” he said.
The group ruled out any intention to dialogue with
the Federal Government anywhere, unless it is
around the Atlantic Ocean, which is their area of
control.
The spokesperson stated that CML had not decided
what to do with the vessel and crewmembers now,
but would inform the Federal Government their in
tention before Wednesday, July 27.
He warned that no militant group should dialogue
with the Federal Government until it addressed the
agitations of the Niger Delta agitators, particularly
the release of the leader of the Indigenous People
of Biafra (IPOB), which CML, in particular, is con
cerned about.
“This is the worst government we have had since
this democratic dispensation. People are suffering
and dying due to hardship and government does not
want to listen to the grievances of our people.
“There is no time again for negotiation with any
government, and no group, even the Niger Delta
Avengers (NDA) should not do that. Government
should wait for us and expect more pipeline
attack.”
