There appears to be yet a new player in the violence in the attacks on the oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta, and if you’re finding it hard to keep track of all the militant activity involving oil in Nigeria, you probably sit squarely in the majority.
Adding to Nigeria’s woes, which include an ongoing takeover of a Chevron asset in Nigeria by protestors and a number of recent attacks by the Niger Delta Avengers, enter Nigeria’s newest fly in the ointment—the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate.
On Tuesday, the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate blew up a portion of the Urhobo pipeline, according to the rebel group. Security forces confirmed that dynamite had been used to destroy part of the Uzere-Eriemu line in the Isoko South area.
On Wednesday, the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate issued a statement that said that they were “men of (their) word” and had blown up the pipeline after making their debut just two days earlier in an announcement from “General” Aldo Agbalja, who threatened that the group would launch and attack within the following 48 hours.
The group said on Wednesday that Tuesday’s attacks was only a preview of what was to come, and urged international companies in the area to “evacuate personnel.”
Sources say that the communities near the state-owned pipeline have been coping with pollution problems caused by leaks in the line. Victor Emuherie, who leads a youth movement in his village of Agbarha-Otor stated: “We started noticing crude oil on our land only to be told that it is as a result of crude oil spill from a trunk line conveying crude from Isoko to the Eriemu manifold.”
The attacks come on the back of numerous attacks by the Niger Delta Avengers, and in spite of Nigeria’s government resuming the pay of ex-rebels in early August—an gesture that was intended to help quell the violence against oil installations in the area.
Oilprice.com