A militant group known as the Niger Delta Avengers on Wednesday rejected an offer for talks with the government to end a series of attacks on oil facilities in the Delta and also said it had blown up a Chevron well in the region.
The group which has come to be regarded as a smoke screen for big time Nigeria oil thieves has waged an inexplicable war on the people of the Niger Delta who have for years yearned for peace. The Federal government only recently initiated a clean up of the heavily polluted environment of the region which many close watchers believe was a major departure from years of complete neglect.
A series of attacks by militants on oil and gas pipelines in the southern Delta swamps have brought Nigeria’s oil output to a 20-year low and helped to push oil prices to 2016 highs on Tuesday. Estimates put current production production levels way below 1 million barrels per day, a development which is putting heavy pressure on the federal government revenues.
Nigeria’s oil minister had said on Tuesday the government would start talks with the Niger Delta Avengers which has claimed responsibility for a string of attacks in the Delta.
But the Niger Delta Avengers rejected the offer of talks on its Twitter account. “We’re not negotiating with any committee,” the group said. “If the Fed (Federal) Govt (Government) is discussing with any group they’re doing that on their own.”
The Avengers also said it had blown up a Chevron well called “RMP 20” located next to the Dibbi flow station in the Warri area in the Delta at 0100 a.m. local time. It has previously attacked Chevron, Shell and ENI facilities.
Reuters. Updated
