A Niger Delta militant group known as Concerned Militant Leaders (CML), have seized a ship with Liberian flag.
The seizure reportedly took place yesterday afternoon along Bakassi Peninsula, off Nigerian waterways.
CML said they were yet to ascertain the number of crew members onboard the vessel, adding that they had every other information about the ship.
“The vessel has the following details (excluding crew on board), MMSI: 636015354; IMO: 9113551; gross tonnage: 25,202; Country Flag, Liberia; Crude oil tanker and Pilot, Captain Marcus,” they said.
According to sources, the vessel was heading to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) facility in Bonny, Rivers State before it was intercepted by the militants.
Spokesperson of the group, General Ben, disclosed that they seized the ship as part of their grievances against the Federal Government.
They also joined in the Niger Delta Avengers’ (NDA) pledge to ground the economy to zero.
The spokesperson said they are yet to decide what to do with the vessel and crew members.
However, they would inform the Federal Government their intention before Wednesday, July 27.
The group disclosed that the next target for attack would be Frontier Oil in Eket, Akwa Ibom State.
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 said that no militant group should dialogue with the Federal Government until it addressed the agitations of the Niger Delta agitators.
Top on their list is the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Expressing their grievances, they said “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 should not do that.
“Government should wait for us and expect more pipeline attack,” they added.
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