Six workers are feared to have been killed, following an attack by gunmen on an oil facility reported to have been managed by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Imo state, Southeast Nigeria.
Platforms Africa reports that no group has claimed responsibility for the attack as at the time of this report.
The gunmen were said to have attacked the facility located in Asa community, Ohaji Egbema LGA, in the early hours of Monday.
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A police officer attached to the facility was also said to have been killed in the attack.
Calls that Platforms Africa put across to Shell’s spokesman for him to confirm, refute or generally react to the news were not answered.
It is not yet clear the persons behind the attack.
Earlier, IPOB had issued a sit-at-home order in protest against the detention of Nnamdi Kanu, its leader who was extradited to Nigeria to face charges bordering on treason and terrorism.
The proscribed group had said it would enforce a lockdown every Monday — which it tagged ‘Ghost Monday’ — from August 9, in the south-east until Kanu is released.
But the group later suspended the order.
An eyewitness from the community alleged that the attack was linked to the suspended sit-at-home order.
“The gunmen were annoyed with the oil company for not obeying the sit-at-home order issued by the IPOB in protest against the continuous detention of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the resident, who didn’t want to be named, told TheCable.
A few others at the facility, TheCable understands, sustained injuries.
Michael Abattam, police spokesperson in the state, who confirmed the attack, said the command has commenced investigation into the incident.
He added that the police tactical team is “on the trail of the terror group in order to apprehend and prosecute them in accordance with the law”.
Despite IPOB’s cancellation of the sit-at-home order, the streets in Imo were deserted,
