In an attempt to end the militant attacks against the oil industry in the Niger Delta, the government of Nigeria has resumed its cash payments to former militants.
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This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Head of the Media and Communication Department of the office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Abuja, Mr. Piriye Keyaramo.
In June, government officials said a one-month ceasefire had been reached.
This is contained in a statement by the coordinator of the presidential amnesty program, Paul Boroh as he said about 30,000 ex-fighters, who were receiving a 65,000 naira monthly stipend, were told the government would resume paying stipends after a two-month “hiccup”.
Community leader Godspower Gbenekama also said residents heard a loud explosion, adding that there had been an oil spill.
A defense ministry spokesman claimed Nigerian military aircraft attacked hideouts in the creeks used by criminal gangs that steal refined oil products near the major city of Lagos. The NDA threatened the authorities on its website and Twitter account, demanding foreign oil giants to exit from the Delta soon or be prepared for more attacks.
Militants say they are fighting so local people can benefit more from their region’s natural resources.
Last Saturday, Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS.A) pipeline was bombed by a group of militants. With output largely hampered, financial profiles of the companies went further in deep troubled waters.
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According to Kachikwu, they militants behind the new attacks on pipelines, are seen as costing Nigeria between 700,000 to 800,000 barrels of crude per day. Business Finance News believes that the latest move by the government will not only increase the affected crude production but also take the Nigerian economy out of distress, which relies 70% on crude sales.
