The Movement for the emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has stepped up its anti-government campaign to target a new gas project.
In the latest rounds of MEND’s attacks, the movement threatened foreign oil financiers to abandon efforts made to launch Nigeria’s biggest international gas project which, if executed, will be able to distribute the country’s natural gas to Europe.
“Any money put into the project will go down the drain as we will ensure that it faces the same fate other pipelines are facing today,” Niger Delta militia said in a Saturday email.
The fighters’ latest challenge comes after a Friday deal by means of which Algeria, Niger and Nigeria were committed to the construction of a pipeline in order to initiate the restive Delta’s natural gas delivery to Europe in 2015.
However, Nigeria’s guerrillas blasted the new energy scheme and made new threats against the existing foreign energy firms, giving them a three-day ultimatum to leave the country.
“Within the next 72 hours Hurricane Piper Alpha will be upgraded to Hurricane Moses,” AFP quoted the rebels’ statement as saying.
Meanwhile government in the capital Abuja downplayed MEND’s recent warnings, pledging to thwart militancy and defend international energy groups in the volatile region.
Nigeria’s Joint Task Force spokesman Colonel Rabe Abubakar said on Saturday, “The JTF will protect and secure any oil and gas installations in the country. MEND is merely ranting. They cannot succeed.”
Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua has recently offered amnesty to the militia in Niger Delta, but the group appeared wary of the reprieve in exchange for laying down arms.
In the email, the militant’s spokesperson Jomo Gbomo referred to MEND’s alacrity for armistice rather than amnesty as a solution to the ongoing violence in southwestern Nigeria.
“Armistice for freedom fighters is what MEND and Tompolo are favorably disposed to for adoption as the next step to take towards resolving the crisis,” said the rebel spokesman.
MEND which has carried out numerous attacks on foreign oil works and abducted a number of multinational energy firm staff, says it wants to obtain a greater share in the country’s oil and gas revenues to uproot poverty and unemployment in the oil-laden energy reservoirs of Niger Delta.
Since its inception in 2005, the group has sabotaged oil plants and pipeline facilities, which have led to a significant drop in the county’s oil output.
As the world’s seventh largest producer of oil, Nigeria’s production has reduced from its previous 2.6 million barrels per day to the current 1.8 bpd due to the ongoing conflict in the area.