Posted by By FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa with agency report on
Militants said they blew up two more major oil pipelines on Monday in the Niger Delta in continuation of their 'Operation Cyclone" aimed at crippling the nation's oil export.
• We're not aware of it - JTF
Militants said they blew up two more major oil pipelines on Monday in the Niger Delta in continuation of their 'Operation Cyclone" aimed at crippling the nation's oil export.
The Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) said the pipelines, located at Isaka River and Abonnema River in Rivers State were destroyed at about 1.00a.m. and 3.00a.m by its commandos.
MEND said in a statement that its fighters hit two pipelines it believed were operated by Chevron Corp. and a Royal Dutch Shell PLC joint venture.
Shell officials had no immediate information on any attack, and the Military Joint Task Force (JTF) patrolling the Niger Delta waterways said it had no reports of overnight violence.
Officials from Chevron could not immediately be reached for comment.
If the attack is true, Shell would lose 169,000 barrels of crude oil per day, which is 30 percent of its production in Niger Delta.
The militants last week claimed attack on a pipeline operated by a Shell joint venture which the company said shut down a small amount of oil production.
The militants said they were stepping up their activities after the arrest of one of their leaders, Henry Okah, who is on trial for terrorism and treason.
They also called for mediation by former United States President, Jimmy Carter with the aim of ending the long-running Niger Delta crisis that government-led peace parleys had so far failed to control. The militants have also asked President Bush and actor George Clooney for their involvement, but said they had received no reply.
'The group said: "MEND expressed its willingness to embrace a genuine and transparent peace programme without getting any response.
'The ripple effect of this attack will touch your economy and people, one way or the other and hope we now have your attention."
The militant group emerged in early 2006, launching bombing attacks on the nation's oil infrastructure that cut about one quarter of the usual oil output in Africa's biggest crude producer.
The militants want the release of their leaders from prison, and for more oil industry revenue for their areas.