The Niger Delta Avengers, NDAs, have for the past two days, taken responsibility for the relentless attacks on oil facilities in the oil rich Niger Delta.
The militant group breached two manifolds operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, the exploration and production subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, at Batan community, in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.
Despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s several pleas to the Avengers to sheathe their sword, as his government is willing to negotiate with the group, the Militants have consistently maintained their onslaught, as it blew up five oil facilities in the region.
According to news reports, the militant, blew two more trunk lines belonging to NNPC in the area, and the 10 oil wells operated by Chevron at Mararaba community in Gbaramatu Kingdom.
The disaster is coming few days after the militants had blown up five major pipelines in the region.
Post-Nigeria, gathered that the destruction has further dampened any hope that the nation’s electricity structure can be revitalised, as it’s major source of fuel has been vandalised.
The multiplying effect is that many companies, manufacturing organisations, among their likes, will have to spend more in the production of goods and services, which will further lead to price hike.
Asides that, the impact will affect the nation’s revenue base, being the major source of its income, as it will have lesser crude to sell, thereby triggering severe hardship, cash crunch and inability of more States to pay salaries.
According to close sources, the bombings took place between 10 p.m. and 11.20 p.m. on Monday night, without any resistance from the military.
He said the militants had a field day, because of the scaled-down military operations in the kingdom, the area where ex-militant leader and fugitive of the law, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, hails from.
Confirming the attack, a highly placed security source, disclosed that the attacks at Batan took place between 10.35 p.m. and 11.20 p.m. while that of Chevron occurred about the same time.
The group while claiming responsibility for the bombing, said it blew up the Chevron oil well, close to the Otunana flow station.
A terse statement signed by its spokesman, Mudoch Agbinibo, added that other attacks were carried out at 11.15 p.m.
“Niger Delta Avengers blew up the NPDC manifold close to Banta, and two PPMC/NNPC crude oil trunk lines,” it said.
According to a foremost non-governmental organisation, Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ: “The fundamental issues are clear: the people of the Niger Delta need development and remediation of their environment, which has been devastated by years of oil and gas exploration and exploitative activities.
“The politicians are the beneficiaries of the system. When they are fraternising with the militants, on the one hand, they want to end the militancy, on the other.“That is why we said the government should not make it a political talk, rather Niger Delta stakeholders at the grassroots should be involved,” the group counselled.
The price of Brent crude on Tuesday, July 5, was down by $1.84, representing 3.7 percent, at $48.26 a barrel, while the US crude, West Texas Intermediate, WTI, fell by $1.89, representing 3.9 percent, to $47.10 a barrel, after dropping more than $2 at the session low.
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