New militant group the Niger Delta Avengers vows to cripple Nigeria's oil and gas supplies

GOVERMENT plans to end Nigeria's fuel shortages and boost crude oil production have come under sever threat lately after a newly-formed group of Niger Delta militants called the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) vowed to cripple supplies.

 

Over the last few days, NDA has blown up the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) crude trunkline feeding both Warri and Kaduna refineries. Its attack on the NNPC facility, which was recently repaired, is the second in as many days and NDA has vowed to cripple Nigeria's oil and gas industry.

 

On Thursday night NDA also attacked an oil flow station feeding the Chevron tank- arm in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State. A gas line feeding Lagos and Abuja power plants was said to have been hit in what appears to be a well-coordinated renewed attack on the oil facilities across the Niger Delta.

 

Also, the Valve Platform, an offshore oil facility belonging to Chevron Nigeria located near Escravos, also in Warri South West Local Government Area, was damaged on Wednesday. NDA, the nascent militia group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

 

NDA spokesman Murdoch Agbinibo, placed blame for the attack on footstep of ex-militant leader and senior Ijaw traditional leader Chief Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo. According to Mr Agbinibo, these latest attacks were in line with a three-day ultimatum given to Tompolo to apologise to the group for insulting it.

 

He also warned politicians, traditional rulers and other influential individuals in the oil-rich region to stop their meddlesome activities and selfish politicking aimed at putting them in the good books of the federal government. Mr Agbinibo said that the attack was merely in fulfilment of NDA’s threat to launch an attack on an oil installation within Tompolo’s enclave in Ijaw Gbaramatu Kingdom.