Nigerian Avengers bomb Chevron’s Crude Pipeline
The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), a militant group in Nigeria’s oil rich region, has blown up a Chevron offshore export pipeline at Escravos in Warri South.
The militant group confirmed the bombing on a web posting by its spokesperson, Mr Mudoch Agbinibo.
“At about 3:45am, our strike team 06 took down Chevron Escravos export pipeline at Escravos offshore,” he said.
Police in the Niger Delta confirmed the attack.
Resume hostilities
The Avengers’ Tuesday action came after the group threatened to resume hostilities because President Muhammadu Buhari had been ‘unserious’ with negotiation.
They said they were further angered by the repair works on pipelines destroyed in previous attacks.
“This action is to further warn all International Oil Companies (IOCs) that when we warn that there should be no repairs pending negotiation/dialogue with the people of the Niger Delta, it means there should be no repairs,” Mr Agbinibo wrote.
The dialogue
“Any attempt to use dialogue to distract us so as to allow the free flow of our oil will halt the dialogue process,” he added.
Avengers had written to President Buhari on his “continuous disparaging’’ remarks since the cessation of hostilities.
They claim to be fighting for the liberation of the Niger Delta from the economic colonialism of Nigeria.
The insurgents accused the president of using phrases such as “Niger Delta militants objective is to colonise Nigeria economically “, “Niger Delta militants are sponsored by economic looters”.
Oil production
They said the President used those phrases during the Passing Out Parade (POP) of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) 63rd Regular Course.
The militants have since May this year crippled at least 50 per cent oil production.
The production of crude has dipped from 2.2 million barrels a day to less than 1.2 million barrels.
Source: Africa Review
