New militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, has again blown up oil pipelines in the Niger Delta, thereby compounding the financial woes of the country.
The recent uptick in attacks on pipeline has meant that Nigeria whose economy is already realing under the throes of the slump in crude oil prices has to contend with increasing losses on production volume.
The destruction of the pipelines was said to have been carried out at about 2:15am on Saturday just a day after the militants operating that umbrella, on Friday morning had blown up a gas and crude trunkline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
A tweet on the Twitter handle of the NDA indicated that the Saturday morning bombing affected Nembe 1, 2 and 3 Brass to Bonny Trunk Line.
The pipelines are operated by two multinational companies, Shell Petroleum Development Company and Agip Oil.
The tweet, at 6:30am on Saturday, said: “At About 2:15am on Saturday the @NDAvengers blow up Nembe 1, 2 and 3 Brass to Bonny Trunk Line belonging to Agip and Shell.”
The group vowed further: “Something Big is About to Happen.”
The NDA had in the last few days destroyed no fewer than three major oil and gas pipelines.
The group had also indicated on Friday on its Twitter handle that it blew up the NNPC Thursday at 11:45pm, stressing that the attack on the pipeline said this was despite the presence of soldiers at the facility.
It tweeted: “At 11:45pm on Thursday.@NDAvengers blew up other #NNPC Gas and Crude trunkline close to Warri. Pipeline that was heavily guarded by Military.”
The group described the recent invitation for a stakeholders meeting for the Niger Delta as an insult, saying that what the zone is demanding is a Sovereign State and not pipeline contracts.
It tweeted: “The Niger Delta stakeholder’s meeting is an insult to the people of Niger Delta. What we need is a Sovereign State not pipeline Contracts.”
The Niger Delta Avengers warned of further attacks in the series of tweets.
It said: “To the IOC’s, Indigenous Oil Companies and Nigeria Military. Watch out something big is about to happen and it will shock the whole world.”
It added that following the attacks successfully carried out so far, it had promoted some of its “soldiers”.
It tweeted: “The @NDAvengers high Command has rewarded some brave and courageous Soldiers of Avengers.Have been promoted to the rank of a Brigadier General.”
The Niger Delta Avengers had on Thursday also blown up a pipeline belonging to Chevron.
