Niger Delta Attacks Continue

Attacks on oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta are continuing, despite reports earlier this week of a ceasefire by Niger Delta militant groups.

Nigeria LNG’s corporate communications manager Tony Okonedo told NGW that operations at its facility continue as normal, but he declined to comment about security issues. Half of the feed gas into NLNG, however, is still understood to be constrained by earlier attacks.

NLNG's Bonny Island terminal, with the tanker LNG Akwa Ibom berthed alongside (Photo credit: Shell)

A source at state Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) headquarters also told NGW that, aside from the Niger Delta Avengers, there were several other groups active such as the Niger Delta Red Squad (NDRS) and Niger Delta Searchlight (NDS) that had claimed responsibilities for recent attacks on oil and gas pipelines. "This puts the country in a precarious position as we have been unable to rein in all those bent on destroying oil and gas facilities," he said.

An Eni-operated pipeline was attacked as recently as September 1, reported Nigerian news site Naji, adding that NDRS had said it was responsible.

However, while the Niger Delta Avengers are open to talks with the government, the rapprochement between both parties could backfire on the Delta’s inhabitants, says Abdulmalik Adetunji taj-liad who lives in the region and is a production engineer at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun at Warri.

"With the other militant groups running riot and attacking facilities, the government may not be able to fully tackle the challenges. It would have been easier if all the groups were within the reach and under the control of the Niger Delta Avengers," he said.

Omono Okonkwo