Niger Delta militants vow to cripple oil sector, gov't not budged

Militant group Niger Delta Avengers have vowed to bring Nigeria’s oil production to zero after it announced on Thursday that it had blown up two crude pipelines in Bayelsa state.

The group said via Twitter that “at about 2:00am today, @NDAvengers blew up the Ogboinbiri to Tebidaba and Clough Creek to Tebidaba Crude Oil pipelines in Bayelsa State.”

“This is in line with our promise to all international Oil companies and Indigenous Oil Companies that Nigeria Oil production will be Zero,” the Niger Delta Avengers added.

This is inline with our promise to all international Oil companies and Indigenous Oil Companies that Nigeria Oil production will be Zero.

— Niger Delta Avengers (@NDAvengers) June 2, 2016

The pipelines they said they have attacked are operated by Italian company ENI.

The Nigerian government on the other hand has said it is not budged by the threats of the militant group to continue bombing national assets.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s adviser on the Amnesty Programme reinstated in the Niger Delta, Brig. General Paul Boroh (rtd), told reporters on Thursday that the Avengers are talking as if they have the means to confront the Nigerian military.

“One of the strengths of criminal gangs is propaganda, let them continue to propagate falsehood,” Nigerian local media report.

Brig. General Boroh, who described the militant group as criminals, said they will not be captured in the Amnesty Programme.

“All ex-agitators captured in the Amnesty Programme have all dissociated themselves from the criminal activities of the Niger Delta Avengers. Amnesty office has dissociated itself from them as well. We are going to work with the security agencies to fish them to face the law,” he said.

Niger Delta Avengers are criminals, we won’t negotiate with them – Presidency https://t.co/uXF4sh6Y16 via todayng pic.twitter.com/gbcujDVTVc

— Nigeria Newsdesk (NigeriaNewsdesk) June 2, 2016