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JUST IN | Niger Delta Avengers Blow-Up Chevron Escravos Pipeline

A fighter of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), poses with a heavy machine-gun at the militia's creek camp in the Niger Delta on September 17, 2008. Armed Nigerian militants who have declared an "oil war" on September 14, in response to what it said was an unprovoked attack by the army, claimed to have blown up a major pipeline in their latest attack on oil installations in the region. MEND, the most prominent of the groups operating in the creeks and swamps of the Niger Delta, said it blew up a pipeline it believes is operated by Royal Dutch Shell and Italy's Agip. The rebels moved in with speed boats, dynamite and hand grenades in their attack on the Orubiri flow station, the army said. MEND says it is fighting for local people to get a greater share of the huge oil revenues. Since MEND took up arms in early 2006, Nigeria's oil output has been cut by at least one quarter due to kidnappings and sabotage in the Delta. Hurricane Barbarossa is the code name MEND has given to its new offensive against foreign majors. "I derive satisfaction in destruction of oil installations in the Niger Delta", said Boy Loaf, leader of the militants. AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI (Photo credit should read PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP/Getty Images)

Nigerian militant group the Niger Delta Avengers said it attacked an oil pipeline in Nigeria’s restive southern energy hub on Tuesday and warned international oil companies (IOCs) not to carry out repairs on damaged energy infrastructure.

Nigeria’s oil output, typically close to 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd), fell to less than 1.3 million bpd this spring as militants bombed energy facilities. But, amid a ceasefire announced by the Avengers in August, the petroleum ministry said oil production had risen to 1.9 million bpd.

The Avengers, which declared the break in hostilities to pursue talks with the government, said on its website that the group “took down Chevron Escravos export pipeline at Escravos offshore” at around 3:45 a.m. (0445 GMT).

“This action is to further warn all 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,” it said on its website.

Collins Edema, a local community leader, said: “We heard of it at the offshore but no one can ascertain the extent of the damage.” A Chevron spokeswoman could not immediately be reached.

The group has said it wants a greater share of the OPEC member’s wealth to go to the Niger Delta, where most of the country’s crude is produced. Government sources told Reuters the government would hold a meeting with community leaders and militant representatives next week.

It said any attempt to use talks with the government as a distraction “will halt the dialogue process”. It is the first attack claimed by the Avengers since late September, when it said it attacked a crude export line as a “wake-up call”.

Reuters

 

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