Niger Delta Avengers Blow Up Oil Pipeline Again

[caption id="attachment_9906" align="alignnone" width="600"]FILE PHOTO[/caption]

The Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, have again, blown up an oil pipeline belonging to Exxon Mobil in Akwa Ibom State.

The militants allegedly blew up the pipeline in order to continue to obstruct all avenues by President Muhammadu Buhari to export crude oil following his refusal to address its demands.

The Qua Iboe 48-inch oil crude oil export line had just resumed operation after about a month.

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The militants, while claiming responsibility for the attack, wondered why the International Oil Companies defied their order by resuming export.

According to them, the federal government was incapable of providing security for the oil companies.

Spokesperson of the group, self-styled Gen. Murdoch Agbinibo, said: “At 7:30p.m., the Niger Delta Avengers blew up ExxonMobil Qua Iboe 483 crude oil export pipeline. When will these International Oil companies learn to listen, we (Avengers) said no export.”

The militant group further said it was closely monitoring repairs on damaged pipelines.

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Recall that the Avengers attacked the Nembe 1, 2 and 3 Tedeba Brass trunk lines in Bayelsa and Rivers states on June 8, after the company carried out repairs on leaking Nembe Creek Trunk Line, NCTL.

It also bombed the Forcados 48-inch Crude Export Terminal in Delta State afresh, last month, because Shell disobeyed its order not to carry out repairs of any sort on its installations damaged by the militant group until government addressed its demands.

With these recent attacks, the temporal ceasefire by militants and the government, which saw an increase in oil export, is already facing a decline, The Whistler has learnt.

It will be recalled that the militant group had said, “Until President Buhari takes our demands seriously and set up a genuine framework to address the Niger Delta question, we will continue to obstruct all avenues to export our crude oil to develop his 97 per cent (95 per cent). In fact, whenever we have any contact to establish a genuine negotiation and dialogue, we will not hesitate to let the world know that we are in dialogue with the government and her representatives.”

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