The Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe on Wednesday refuted reports in some section of the me-dia that militants attacked facilities of Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) located at Ekiugbo Afiesere and Inene Community in Ughelli North Local Government of Delta State.
The JTF Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, Lieutenant Colonel Olaolu Marcellinus Daudu, in a statement made available to journalists in Warri said the incidence occurred as a result of fire outbreak caused by bush burning which was escalated by previous spill.
The statement reads: “The attention of ‘Operation DELTA SAFE’ has been drawn to purported media reports of pipeline explosion caused by militants at Ughelli Delta State.
“The incidence that occurred was a fire outbreak as a result of bush burning escalated by previous oil spill from one of the facilities of Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) located at Ekiugbo Afiesere and Inene Community in Ughelli North Local Government of Delta State.”
Daudu noted that no pipeline was affected during the fire outbreak neither was there any explosion.
“The Joint Task Force Operation DELTA SAFE wishes to use this opportunity to caution all from propa-gating discord and unsubstantiated stories in other to seek relevance and cause unnecessary tension among the people.
“They should rather be guided by national interest and security as they go about their professional du-ties”, the statement added.
