A Nigerian Civil Rights Leader and a Niger Delta resident confirmed on Thursday that militants had attacked a Chevron oil facility in the region. A militant group called Niger Delta Avengers said late on Wednesday that it had blown up the main electricity feed pipeline leading to the Escravos tank farm. “The attack truly happened,” Reuters quoted Eric Omare, spokesman for the Ijaw Youth Council, as saying on Twitter.
Resident Zebo Austin, who lives nearby, also confirmed there had been an explosion. “We heard a loud blast at the Abiteye to Escravos crude pipeline which was blown up last night by yet-to-be identified militant group,” he told Reuters. There was no immediate confirmation of the attack from Chevron.
The Avengers, who said they are fighting for a greater share of oil profits, an end to pollution and independence for the southern region, had told oil firms to leave the Delta before the end of the month. The Federal Government has responded by moving in army reinforcements, but British Foreign Minister, Philip Hammond, said this month President Muhammadu Buhari needed to deal with the root causes of the conflict.
