The Niger Delta Avengers militant group has threatened to target ExxonMobil workers instead of blowing up its facilities.
The latest threat follows the disagreement over the alleged bombing of the company’s Que Iboe 48-inch Crude Oil Export Pipeline on Monday.
While the group claimed responsibility for the bombing of the pipeline, the company said there was no attack on its facilities.
The company further refuted the group’s claim on Friday, describing what happened as a “system anomaly’.
But the group in a statement on Saturday insisted that the company’s facilities were attack.
In the statement, entitled, “ExxonMobil, stop deceiving the world, which was posted on the group’s Facebook page, the group said the company’s personnel are its next target and not pipelines.
The statement reads: When we published that the Qua Iboe 48-inch crude oil export line was blown by us , ExxonMobil denied it, but now ExxonMobil has admitted that the 48” pipeline that Niger Delta Avengers blew up is “System Anomaly.”.
“We urged them to follow the path of safety by admitting it that was blown, but ExxonMobil not admitting it to their traders/international refineries is none of our business. It will become our business when ExxonMobil carries out repair work on the blown pipeline.
“When that time comes, it will not be ExxonMobil declaring force majeure, but it is going to be something worse.
“ExxonMobil and Akwa Ibom government can deny Niger Delta Avengers is not in Akwa Ibom state but we want them to know that one of our elite strike teams is based in Akwa Ibom state.”
“We are warning ExxonMobil not to carry out any repair work on the blown pipeline, if they refuse and go ahead with any repair work, something big and worse will happen.
“To the traders/international refineries doing business with them, do not let ExxonMobil deceive you that the repair work will take three to four weeks, with the level of damage. it will take them (ExxonMobil) months to fix it.”
“What happened to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) crude oil export pipeline in Forcados is an example to all International Oil Companies, IOCs, no repair works until the federal government heed to our demands.”
“If ExxonMobil fails to listen to us (Niger Delta Avengers), your personnel are going to be our next casualties, not pipelines.”