The Delta State Government has denied reports of heavy shooting in Warri, the commercial nerve centre of the oil rich state or any area close to it.
Media reports had on Saturday said four persons were shot dead during a heavy shooting in Ogidigben, near Warri.
Ogidigben is the proposed site of a $26 billion gas project in the state.
A statement in the wee hours of Sunday by the Secretary to the Delta State Government, Comrade Ovuozorie Macaulay, said the story that there was heavy shooting in Warri or its environ was the handiwork of those who do not want the success of the gas project.
Macaulay said what transpired on Saturday was just the deployment of security agents to the venue of the N26 billion Gas City Project in Ogidigben as agreed by the State Security Council, following a request by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation.
He said NNPC had made the request for the deployment of the security forces to ensure the safety of lives and property at the site of the project, which construction is expected to commence in the next few days.
He added that the State Security Council had at its last meeting on December 30, 2013 approved the request of the NNPC, hence the deployment of the security forces on Saturday.
The statement by Macaulay reads in full: “The attention of the Delta State Government has been drawn to media reports especially the on-line media of heavy shooting in Warri. The State wishes to state categorically that there has been no shooting of any form in Warri or environ.
In line with the agreement with NNPC for provision of security by the State Government for the $16 Billion Gas City Project in Ogidigben, the State Security Council at its last meeting in Warri on 30th December 2013, directed the security agencies to deploy some forces to the area to ensure the safety of lives and properties as the construction of the project will start in the next few days. Some of the forces were deployed today, 4th January, 2014. None of the forces has had cause to shoot any gun and nobody has been injured or dead.
The State Government is aware that some enemies of progress are out to thwart this laudable project of President Goodluck Jonathan which will form the economic bedrock for Nigeria.
“Warri has been very safe and it is on record that there were no insecurity incidences in Warri and other parts of Delta State throughout the Christmas or New Year period. The Government shall not be intimated by anyone and all those spreading such seditious falsehood should desist from it.
“All law abiding citizens are advised to go about their normal activities and we shall ensure safety of their lives and properties.”
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