Threat of further militant attacks in Niger delta underlines
need for extreme vigilance.
The militant Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta
(MEND) on 25 April stated that it would launch another car-bomb
attack in the region following after a suspected car bomb
detonated on 20 April near the Bori military barracks in Port
Harcourt (Rivers state).
The apparent change in MEND’s tactics reflects the volatility of the region’s security environment.
By shifting the focus of attacks from the region’s swamps and
creeks to city centres and government targets, the militants are reinforcing their core political demands and seriously
undermining the security services’ ability to combat them.
However, high-profile facilities, including main oil export
terminals, pipelines and oil rigs in the region, remain
attractive targets for militant attacks.
Companies are advised to continue to implement stringent security precautions around key operations. Particular attention should also be given to the
security of unattended vehicles, whose undersides should be
regularly checked for suspicious objects.
Personnel should increase their personal security awareness and vigilance while entering and exiting company premises, including residential compounds.