The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is claiming responsibility for Thursday�s attack on an oil pipeline owned by Shell Petroleum Development Company at the Forcados export terminal in Delta State.
In a statement sent via e-mail, MEND said it sent some of its commandos to the facility to �nibble� at the oil installation until it is no longer able to function properly and meet its obligations of oil exports.
However, MEND said it could not ascertain the extent of the damage to the pipeline as the militia group claimed its members struck the facility and scampered away, but promised to carry out more attacks on non-oil facilities in major towns across the country.
MEND said it would forewarn on where the next attack would be carried out to make sure civilians avoid the target as a means of ensuring that casualties on innocent citizens is reduced or avoided.
MEND�s message reads: �A small commando unit of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) sabotaged a major pipeline feeding the Shell Forcados� export terminal in a Delta state of Nigeria on Thursday, November 15 2007. The extent of the damage could not be ascertained after the operation. However, our strategy is to nibble continuously on the oil industry until it is crippled.
�We are determined to make the military busy enough to justify the huge budget for security in the region. Our wealth should be used to develop and not to oppress us. For the upcoming attacks on major bridges and other non-oil sector related infrastructure around the country, we will give a fore-warning to avoid casualties as our intent is to only bring down those symbols of oppression and injustice.�
MEND alleged that the Nigerian military had embarked on the execution of some prisoners on death row, and would soon be paraded with their bodies riddled with bullets before the media as those of �militants killed and weapons recovered from captured militia.�
It warned that it would not allow the Federal Government breathing space until the injustice in the Niger Delta region had been addressed.
Nov172007