Suspected cultists kill Local Artisan in mistaken identity at Azikoro in Yenagoa

Unidentified gunmen suspected to be cultists have shot and killed a middle aged man Senitonkumo Out who resides at Azikoro-Agbura road in Yenagoa Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa.

The victim known as Murphy was very popular for his skills in suspended ceiling installations as he was reputed to be very reliable.

Investigations by a Correspondent on Wednesday indicates that the victim who hails from Oweikorogha community in Southern Ijaw LGA may have been killed by some suspected cultists who stormed the area in search of a different target.

Shell resumes oil export from Forcados Oil Export Terminal, lifts Force Majeure

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) on Monday said it has resumed oil exports from the Forcados Oil Export Terminal halted on April 4 over ‘unforeseen circumstances’ in its operations.

Mr Michael Adande, an SPDC Spokesman confirmed the development to our correspondent in an email on Monday.

Adande explained that the oil firm has lifted the ‘Force Majeure’ on Forcados exports Programme effective Monday, April 13, 2020.

Force Majure is a legal clause that absolves a company from legal liabilities due to circumstances beyong its control.

Adande said that lifting of the Force Majeure notice is sequel the re-opening of the Trans Forcados Pipeline by the operator, Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited  

Environmentalist seeks probe into cause of dead fishes on Bayelsa shoreline

A renowned Environmentalist Rev Nnimmo Bassey has urged governments and oil industry regulators to investigate the cause of dead fishes littering the Atlantic coastline in Delta and Bayelsa.

Bassey who made the call in a reaction to reports of massive death of fish by coastline residents noted that the development portends danger capable of wiping off fish species and depletion the biodiversity of thee Niger Delta.

Bassey who holds a National Honours Award  of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) for Environmental Activism spoke in Yenagoa on Saturday.

Bayelsa will seek review of revocation of its Atala OML 46 oilfields license –Gov Diri’s Spokesman

Bayelsa government says it is studying the revocation of a marginal oilfield operating license issued to the state in 2013 to get a review of the decision by Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

The Oil Mining Lease (OML) 46 asset held by Bayelsa government located within onshore swamps in Bayelsa was won in 2013 bids by the DPR.

DPR on April 6 announced the revocation of 11 of the 13 marginal fields licenses it issued to indigenous oil firms to build capacity and promotes the participation of Nigerians in the oil sector.

The licenses were originally issued in 2003, revalidated in 2013 , and the companies were expected to bring the fields into production in five years but as at 2018 deadline most of the fields remained inactive. 

Shell’s Oil Well 13 in Angiama, Bayelsa traced to equipment failure- Community Leader

The oil spill that occurred in March  at Angiama community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in Bayelsa has been traced to equipment failure,.

The spill reportedly emanated from Well No. 13 at the oilfield operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) at Angiama a coastal settlement by the Nun River.

According to a sources who participated in the Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) to probe the cause of the leak which discharged a yet to be ascertained volume of crude into the environment both regulators and the oil firm agreed on the cause of the incident.

Mr Johnbull Edward Chairman, Angiama Community Development Committee, said Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) conducted on the spill by the officials of SPDC, regulators and the community representatives indicated it was caused by equipment failure.

Atlantic coastline dwellers decry dead fishes on Bayelsa shoreline, seek investigation

Residents along Foropa, Sangana axis of the Atlantic coastline in Bayelsa have reported sighting dead fishes littering the shoreline.

Some of the residents who spoke on the development said the occurrence was noticed since March 15 and was yet to abate fueling fears of pollution of the country’s territorial waters by toxic substances.

Mr Leghemo Ebrasin, a youth leader said the development was strange and could be an indication of increased toxicity of the Atlantic ocean which could impact residents.

New Petrol Pump price: DPR seals 2 fuel stations in Bayelsa

The Bayelsa field office of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Wednesday sealed two fuel stations for dispensing petrol above the new pump price of N125 per liter.

Federal Government had on March reduced the pump price from N145 to N125 per litre to reflect the fall in crude oil prices.

The pump price was on Tuesday night further reduced by 1.50k per litre to N123.50 per litre, but DPR officials at Bayelsa field office said that they were yet to receive directive on the latest review.

Speaking with newsmen after the surveillance exercise, Mr Geore Ene-Ita, Operations Controller of DPR, said that while one of the sanctioned stations sold petrol at the old price of N145, the second was shut for gross under dispensing.