Residents at Ikeinghenbiri community in Southern Ijaw council, Bayelsa are fleeing the
area following a clash between rival armed groups at an oilfield operated by Eni’s
Nigerian subsidiary Agip Oil Company (NAOC).
A resident said Sunday that the groups were struggling for control of the Ogboinbiri-
Tebidaba crude trunk line which passed through the area.
Mr. Ebidimo Joseph said that residents were scared and were leaving to neighbouring
villages for cover.
“We understand it is a conflict between two armed groups for the access to the crude
pipeline, one group claims to be working to safeguard the pipeline and said the other
group are vandals; they have been shooting.
“The sound of the gunfire is scary, and there is no sign of the Joint Task Force soldiers
who aresupposed to be patrolling the area, we have not seen any soldier,” Joseph said
According to Joseph, the pipeline was set ablaze while the two groups engaged each
other in the gun battle adding that there was no way to ascertain if there was any
casualty yet.
He said that a thick ‘cloud of smoke’ had enveloped the community and polluted the
atmosphere in the area.
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