SPECIAL REPORT:: GOOD-LUCK JONATHAN GOES INTO EXILE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Militants Angry, Step-Up Attacks
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has reportedly gone into exile.
The former President, who had in the past few weeks visited the United
States and United Kingdom was said to have been tipped off by security
sources and other sympathizers in different arms of government of his
impending arrest as soon as he stepped into the country.
The planned arrest which had been in the works for some time forced the
former president to contact some West African leaders for a safe haven.
President Alasanne Quttara of Cote d’Ivoire is said to have agreed to
allow Jonathan stay in the country until it is safe for him to return to
Nigeria.
The development is said to have spiked the bombing of oil pipelines by
militants in the Niger Delta region leading to the loss of between 800,000
to 900,000 barrels of crude oil per day (bpd).
The militants are said to enraged that President Buhari reneged on his
promise during the handover ceremonies that President Jonathan had
“nothing to fear”.
Since coming to power, President Buhari had swooped on associates of the
former president on the allegations of money laundering, diversion of
public funds and contract scams linked to defence contracts for the
prosecution of the war against Boko Haram in the North-east.
Several public office holders that served under the Jonathan
administration have been arrested and are facing persecution and
prosecution the latest being his former Principal Secretary, Haman Tukur
and his cousin, Aziobola Robert, in connection with a $40 million pipeline
surveillance contract.
A report by THISDAY said militants in the region have vowed to shut down
oil output completely by intensifying the bombings of oil and gas
installations in the region.
Sources close to the president said since the information of the
government’s resolve to arrest Jonathan swept through the Niger Delta,
Ijaw militants have gone berserk and stepped up their attacks on oil and
gas installations in the region. They are said to be hell bent on shutting
down oil output completely.
One source said the militants are targeting all onshore and shallow water
installations, from where
“Nigeria derives the bulk of 90 per cent of its foreign exchange earnings
and may head for the deep offshore oil fields if the federal government
does not back down.
“Perhaps the only installations that may not be affected in the interim by
militant attacks are those in the deep offshore basin because they are
more difficult to reach and would require large vessels to access,” said
the source who, however, added that “during the last militant crises we
went as far as shutting down the Bonga deep water oil field”.
The former President, who had in the past few weeks visited the United
States and United Kingdom was said to have been tipped off by security
sources and other sympathizers in different arms of government of his
impending arrest as soon as he stepped into the country.
The planned arrest which had been in the works for some time forced the
former president to contact some West African leaders for a safe haven.
President Alasanne Quttara of Cote d’Ivoire is said to have agreed to
allow Jonathan stay in the country until it is safe for him to return to
Nigeria.
The development is said to have spiked the bombing of oil pipelines by
militants in the Niger Delta region leading to the loss of between 800,000
to 900,000 barrels of crude oil per day (bpd).
The militants are said to enraged that President Buhari reneged on his
promise during the handover ceremonies that President Jonathan had
“nothing to fear”.
Since coming to power, President Buhari had swooped on associates of the
former president on the allegations of money laundering, diversion of
public funds and contract scams linked to defence contracts for the
prosecution of the war against Boko Haram in the North-east.
Several public office holders that served under the Jonathan
administration have been arrested and are facing persecution and
prosecution the latest being his former Principal Secretary, Haman Tukur
and his cousin, Aziobola Robert, in connection with a $40 million pipeline
surveillance contract.
A report by THISDAY said militants in the region have vowed to shut down
oil output completely by intensifying the bombings of oil and gas
installations in the region.
Sources close to the president said since the information of the
government’s resolve to arrest Jonathan swept through the Niger Delta,
Ijaw militants have gone berserk and stepped up their attacks on oil and
gas installations in the region. They are said to be hell bent on shutting
down oil output completely.
One source said the militants are targeting all onshore and shallow water
installations, from where
“Nigeria derives the bulk of 90 per cent of its foreign exchange earnings
and may head for the deep offshore oil fields if the federal government
does not back down.
“Perhaps the only installations that may not be affected in the interim by
militant attacks are those in the deep offshore basin because they are
more difficult to reach and would require large vessels to access,” said
the source who, however, added that “during the last militant crises we
went as far as shutting down the Bonga deep water oil field”.
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