Fighters of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), speed away from the militia's creek camp in the Niger Delta. Armed Nigerian militants who have declared an "oil war", in response to what it said was an unprovoked attack by the army, claimed to have blown up a major pipeline in their latest attack on oil installations in the region. MEND, the most prominent of the groups operating in the creeks and swamps of the Niger Delta, said it blew up a pipeline it believes is operated by Royal Dutch Shell and Italy's Agip. The rebels moved in with speed boats, dynamite and hand grenades in their attack on the Orubiri flow station, the army said. MEND says it is fighting for local people to get a greater share of the huge oil revenues. Since MEND took up arms in early 2006, Nigeria's oil output has been cut by at least one quarter due to kidnappings and sabotage in the Delta. Hurricane Barbarossa is the code name MEND has given to its new offensive against foreign majors. "I derive satisfaction in destruction of oil installations in the Niger Delta", said Boy Loaf, leader of the militants.*
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said its fighters launched an attack on the Atlas Cove Jetty in Lagos state overnight, the first in the area since the group began its latest campaign of violence in late May.
"The depot and loading tankers moored at the facility are currently on fire," MEND said in a statement.
It was not immediately possible to independently verify the attack. A police spokesman said authorities were investigating.
MEND has rarely attacked sites outside the Niger Delta, focusing mainly on oil facilities in the Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states in southern Nigeria.
The militant group has claimed a series of attacks against the oil sector following the military's largest offensive in the Niger Delta for years in late May.
The violence has forced Royal Dutch Shell, U.S. oil company Chevron and Italy's Agip to shut down around 300,000 barrels per day of production in the last seven weeks. This has put some upward pressure on global oil prices.
President Umaru Yar'Adua has offered a 60-day amnesty programme to militants and criminals in hopes of restoring peace to the region.
MEND's suspected leader Henry Okah, on trial for gun-running and treason, has accepted the amnesty programme and is expected to be released early this week, his lawyer said on Sunday.
Although some militants have said they would lay down their arms if Okah was released, analysts believe violence will not subside.
Oil theft is a lucrative business in the region and politicians would continue to hire armed gangs to secure power in the run-up to 2011 elections, analysts said.
Monday, July 13, 2009
DTN News: MEND Nigerian Rebels Claim They Attacked Oil Tanker Dock
DTN News: MEND Nigerian Rebels Claim They Attacked Oil Tanker Dock
*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) ABUJA, Nigeria - July 13, 2009: Nigeria's most prominent militant group said on Monday it had sabotaged a loading dock for oil tankers in Lagos state, widening an offensive against Africa's biggest oil sector. Fighters of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), speed away from the militia's creek camp in the Niger Delta. Armed Nigerian militants who have declared an "oil war", in response to what it said was an unprovoked attack by the army, claimed to have blown up a major pipeline in their latest attack on oil installations in the region. MEND, the most prominent of the groups operating in the creeks and swamps of the Niger Delta, said it blew up a pipeline it believes is operated by Royal Dutch Shell and Italy's Agip. The rebels moved in with speed boats, dynamite and hand grenades in their attack on the Orubiri flow station, the army said. MEND says it is fighting for local people to get a greater share of the huge oil revenues. Since MEND took up arms in early 2006, Nigeria's oil output has been cut by at least one quarter due to kidnappings and sabotage in the Delta. Hurricane Barbarossa is the code name MEND has given to its new offensive against foreign majors. "I derive satisfaction in destruction of oil installations in the Niger Delta", said Boy Loaf, leader of the militants.*
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said its fighters launched an attack on the Atlas Cove Jetty in Lagos state overnight, the first in the area since the group began its latest campaign of violence in late May.
"The depot and loading tankers moored at the facility are currently on fire," MEND said in a statement.
It was not immediately possible to independently verify the attack. A police spokesman said authorities were investigating.
MEND has rarely attacked sites outside the Niger Delta, focusing mainly on oil facilities in the Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states in southern Nigeria.
The militant group has claimed a series of attacks against the oil sector following the military's largest offensive in the Niger Delta for years in late May.
The violence has forced Royal Dutch Shell, U.S. oil company Chevron and Italy's Agip to shut down around 300,000 barrels per day of production in the last seven weeks. This has put some upward pressure on global oil prices.
President Umaru Yar'Adua has offered a 60-day amnesty programme to militants and criminals in hopes of restoring peace to the region.
MEND's suspected leader Henry Okah, on trial for gun-running and treason, has accepted the amnesty programme and is expected to be released early this week, his lawyer said on Sunday.
Although some militants have said they would lay down their arms if Okah was released, analysts believe violence will not subside.
Oil theft is a lucrative business in the region and politicians would continue to hire armed gangs to secure power in the run-up to 2011 elections, analysts said.
Fighters of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), speed away from the militia's creek camp in the Niger Delta. Armed Nigerian militants who have declared an "oil war", in response to what it said was an unprovoked attack by the army, claimed to have blown up a major pipeline in their latest attack on oil installations in the region. MEND, the most prominent of the groups operating in the creeks and swamps of the Niger Delta, said it blew up a pipeline it believes is operated by Royal Dutch Shell and Italy's Agip. The rebels moved in with speed boats, dynamite and hand grenades in their attack on the Orubiri flow station, the army said. MEND says it is fighting for local people to get a greater share of the huge oil revenues. Since MEND took up arms in early 2006, Nigeria's oil output has been cut by at least one quarter due to kidnappings and sabotage in the Delta. Hurricane Barbarossa is the code name MEND has given to its new offensive against foreign majors. "I derive satisfaction in destruction of oil installations in the Niger Delta", said Boy Loaf, leader of the militants.*
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said its fighters launched an attack on the Atlas Cove Jetty in Lagos state overnight, the first in the area since the group began its latest campaign of violence in late May.
"The depot and loading tankers moored at the facility are currently on fire," MEND said in a statement.
It was not immediately possible to independently verify the attack. A police spokesman said authorities were investigating.
MEND has rarely attacked sites outside the Niger Delta, focusing mainly on oil facilities in the Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states in southern Nigeria.
The militant group has claimed a series of attacks against the oil sector following the military's largest offensive in the Niger Delta for years in late May.
The violence has forced Royal Dutch Shell, U.S. oil company Chevron and Italy's Agip to shut down around 300,000 barrels per day of production in the last seven weeks. This has put some upward pressure on global oil prices.
President Umaru Yar'Adua has offered a 60-day amnesty programme to militants and criminals in hopes of restoring peace to the region.
MEND's suspected leader Henry Okah, on trial for gun-running and treason, has accepted the amnesty programme and is expected to be released early this week, his lawyer said on Sunday.
Although some militants have said they would lay down their arms if Okah was released, analysts believe violence will not subside.
Oil theft is a lucrative business in the region and politicians would continue to hire armed gangs to secure power in the run-up to 2011 elections, analysts said.
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