Militants Blow Up Pipelines Linking Warri, Kaduna Refineries

A day after Chevron’s Okan offshore production platform in Warri, Delta State was blown up,suspected militants in the Niger Delta have struck again on Friday,blowing up a pipeline transporting crude oil to Warri and Kaduna and a 16-inch gas line, owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

A group known as Niger Delta Avengers has claimed responsibility for the explosion.

It said in a statement on its website, 

 “To keep to our promise, the three days ultimatum given to Chief Government Ekpemupolo has elapsed and he failed to apologise to the Niger Delta Avengers, at 10:00 pm Thursday, May 5, 2016, our strike team 4 hit the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation crude and gas lines.

“The crude line feeds the Warri and Kaduna refineries respectively, while the gas line feeds the Lagos and Abuja electricity power supply. With this development the Warri and Kaduna refineries will be shut down and all cities that depend on the gas line for power will all be in total darkness like the creeks of the Niger Delta.”

“We want you public to know that despite the heavy presence of military operatives, our activities can’t stop and it just waste of funds and time to let the Nigerian military protect oil installations”, the group bragged.
“This is a clear warning to all Niger Delta politicians, traditional rulers, community leaders and the likes of Tompolo to mind their business and leave the liberation of the Niger Delta people to the Avengers. Those who believe taking sides with the federal government to fight Niger Delta is the best option, Avengers are here on the ground. Neither you nor the federal government can stop us. If you don’t stay clear and let us carry out our activities, we will bring the fight to your individual doorsteps. Our major goal is to cripple the Nigeria economy”, the group warned.