FILE - Militants are seen patrolling the creeks of the Niger delta region of Nigeria, Jan. 30, 2007.
YENAGOA, NIGERIA —
Militants in Nigeria's southern Niger Delta oil hub attacked a
pipeline operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),
the military and a witness said on Wednesday.
It comes a day after leaders from the region, which is the source of most of the OPEC member's oil, met President Muhammadu Buhari and asked him to pull the army out of the oil hub, order oil firms to move headquarters there and spend more on development to end militancy in the region.
"Troops ... in Delta State, while on routine patrol heard an explosive sound caused by suspected economic saboteurs at Batan Flow Station around Ekweregbene," said military spokesman Olaolu Marcellinus Daudu.
Sheriff Mulade, a witness, said the attack took place at around 1200 GMT. A spokesman for NNPC could not immediately be reached for comment.
The flow station is located in a creek between the southern city of Warri and the Forcados oil terminal, which last week resumed crude exports following repairs after an attack.
Militants began a wave of attacks on oil pipelines in January to push for a greater share of oil revenues.
While the attacks have cut oil production by around a third in recent months, the oil minister said on Tuesday production was back up to 2.1 million barrels a day.
It comes a day after leaders from the region, which is the source of most of the OPEC member's oil, met President Muhammadu Buhari and asked him to pull the army out of the oil hub, order oil firms to move headquarters there and spend more on development to end militancy in the region.
"Troops ... in Delta State, while on routine patrol heard an explosive sound caused by suspected economic saboteurs at Batan Flow Station around Ekweregbene," said military spokesman Olaolu Marcellinus Daudu.
Sheriff Mulade, a witness, said the attack took place at around 1200 GMT. A spokesman for NNPC could not immediately be reached for comment.
The flow station is located in a creek between the southern city of Warri and the Forcados oil terminal, which last week resumed crude exports following repairs after an attack.
Militants began a wave of attacks on oil pipelines in January to push for a greater share of oil revenues.
While the attacks have cut oil production by around a third in recent months, the oil minister said on Tuesday production was back up to 2.1 million barrels a day.
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