Militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, this morning, blew up an oil pipeline belonging to Shell.
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“What I know they have done, which some of us are involved in doing by virtue of coming from that zone and by virtue of working with them, is been telling our people that the economy of the people is bleeding and the nation is hemorrhaging and that we can not, given the low price of oil, go on certain actions that will further reduce the earnings of Nigeria”.
Delta – Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) has denied involvement in the deadly attack of a military houseboat around Warri, Delta State on Wednesday.
“The pipelines located within Agip’s oil fields were attacked but we got reports that the pipeline was attacked after it had been shut down, so there is no loss of crude or leakage”, he told NAN.
The NDA, which says it is seeking a fairer share of Nigeria’s oil wealth for the Niger delta people and has asked oil majors to leave the region, also said it had struck Agip facilities.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari canceled at the last minute a visit planned for Thursday to the oil-producing Niger Delta, which has been rocked by militant attacks. In a statement published late Thursday, spokesman Mudoch Agbinibo said the campaign was operating in a way that was specific to oil installations.
“The bombings of the facilities of Chevron Oil, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mobil Oil and the latest bombings in Bayelsa State amongst others are appalling, disgusting, unprecedented and should be condemned by all right thinking members of the public”.
As a result of the revival of Niger Delta militancy, Nigerian oil production is now down to 1.4 million barrels per day, according to some news agencies, while others put it at 1.1 million bpd, which would equal half of Nigeria’s regular production.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo visited the region in Buhari’s place to launch a cleanup program in an area badly hit by oil spills.
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Buhari’s visit would have been the first by the former military ruler to the Delta since he took office in May a year ago.
