The Nigerian army on Sunday captured some leaders of the new militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, after a raid on Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State.
The raid, according to sources, came after the militant group bombed another oil facility belonging to Chevron Nigeria Limited.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered the military to capture the culprits by all means. Following this order, the military invaded Oporoza twice within a week.
“Members of Nigerian army captured five members of Niger Delta Avengers, one of which is believed to be one of the leaders of the dreaded group. Following the bombing, we established a wide perimeter and initiated a high security search.
“The suspects were taken into the custody of the army in the area, but are yet to make statements or admit if they are members of the Niger Delta Avengers or otherwise. They have been relocated to the 19th Battalion, Nigerian Army, Koko, Warri North”, an army officer said.
It would be recalled that U.S. oil major, Exxon Mobil Corp, on Friday suspended exports from Nigeria’s top crude stream, following strains from unrest and violence by the militant group that have cut production to its lowest in decades.
Exxon Mobil said it had declared a force majeure – a suspension of deliveries because of events beyond its control – on Niger Delta Qua Iboe crude oil grade, and that a portion of production had been curtailed after a drilling rig damaged a pipeline, according to Reuters.
In a separate incident on Friday, an explosion rocked Chevron Corp’s oil well at the Marakaba pipeline in Warri, a security source said, the second blast at a facility of the U.S. oil major within a week, feeding concern over a revived militant campaign in the area.
Chevron had no immediate comment, while Nigeria’s army, which has stepped up its presence in the region. Penultimate week, Chevron said its platform in Niger Delta was attacked by the militants.
The outages add to production problems at two of the other largest crude streams, Bonny Light and Forcados, which have already taken the country’s output to a 22-year low.
Shell shut a major pipeline earlier last week and declared force majeure on Bonny Light crude exports on Wednesday, while an attack in February on a pipeline also caused it to shut the 250,000 bpd Forcados export terminal.
Nigeria’s oil production has fallen to 1.65 million barrels per day (bpd) due to militant attacks, Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, said on Friday, from 2.2 million bpd.
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