Suspected Niger Delta militants have extended the territory of their attacks and blown up a gas facility in PZ Estate in the Ogijo area of the Ogun state.
The attack comes weeks after killing and maiming innocent residents while raiding communities in the state.
Channels Television reports that locals described the incident as the first known attack on oil facility in the south-west under President Muhammadu Buhari.
The suspects in Ogun were said to have bombed the pipeline late on July 12, Tuesday while pretending to be officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on maintenance patrol.
The affected facility is said to serve an 11.4 distribution line for some companies in Ikorodu, Lagos state.
The site of the attack has been cordoned off by security officers.
While officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) consider it is too early to identify those behind the attack, sabotage of such nature has been arranged by the creek manors.
Mohammed Tijani, divisional policeman, has stated that investigations were ongoing.
He said: “What we heard is that during the day, some people disguised as NNPC staff. They reportedly came with two Hilux vehicles and pretended as if they carried out some repairs".
<i>“Later at night, the explosion occurred"</i>
Away from the Imo state in the south-east, where a Shell pipeline was exploded last month, all other attacks in recent times have occurred in the south-south, mainly Delta state.
The Niger Delta Avengers, the militant group that came to the spotlight in the beginning of the year, claimed responsibility for most of the attacks under the incumbent government.
The group, which threatened to storm Lagos, said its aim is to cripple Nigeria’s economy.
President Buhari after threatening to crackdown on the militants appealed to them to give peace talks a chance.
Nigeria’s oil production size, which dashed to an all-time low as a result of the attacks, soared during a two-week ceasefire announced by the militants.
Meanwhile, the group resumed hostilities some weeks back, blaming the government for insincerity.
Source: Channels TV, Naij.com news
Comments
Post a Comment