by Deep Green Resistance News Service | Apr 14, 2012 | Property & Material Destruction
By Valentina Za and Joe Brock / Reuters
A crude oil pipeline owned by Italian oil and gas group Eni was attacked on Friday in Nigeria’s onshore Niger Delta and a militant group claimed the strike.
Attacks in the restive region have been fewer since an amnesty for militants in 2009, although large-scale oil theft and sporadic pipeline sabotage still occurs.
“We can confirm a pipeline, leading to Tebidaba, in the Clough-Creek area has been attacked,” an Eni spokeswoman said.
Eni’s unit Agip owns the Tebidaba-Brass pipeline, which has been subject to several attacks in recent years.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), which was the main militant group prior to the amnesty, claimed Friday’s attack and warned of more to come.
“At 0210 fighters of MEND attacked and destroyed one wellhead and one manifold on trunk lines belonging to Agip … more attacks to follow,” a statement e-mailed to reporters said.
MEND has been largely inactive since most of its militants agreed an amnesty with the government in 2009, ending a wave of attacks that at one stage cut oil production down by half.
Under the amnesty thousands of militants gave up their weapons, joined training schemes and drew stipends. Security sources say remaining gangs in the Niger Delta do not have the capacity to do the damage seen in the past.
But a resurgence of militant activity is an unwelcome headache to President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, whose security forces are already stretched by an Islamist insurgency raging in the north.
From Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/13/eni-attack-nigeria-idUSL6E8FD19Z20120413
by Deep Green Resistance News Service | Feb 10, 2012 | Property & Material Destruction
By Emma Amaize / Vanguard
After cessation of hostilities for some months in the Niger-Delta, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta, MEND, weekend, threatened to bomb telecommunication giant, MTN, SACOIL and other investments of South Africa in Nigeria because of alleged interference of President Jacob Zuma in its struggle for justice in the Niger-Delta.
The militant group issued the warning in an internet post by its spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, shortly after it bombarded the National Agip Oil Company, NAOC, trunk line at Brass in Bayelsa state on Saturday.
In a disguised reference to the tribulation of its assumed leader, Henry Okah and postponement of his trial in by a South-African court, the militant group said the South Africa President has reduced himself to a mercenary of President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to it: “In the dark days to come, MTN, SACOIL, and other South African investments will pay a heavy price for the interference of Jacob Zuma in the legitimate fight for justice in the Niger Delta by its people. The South African President has reduced himself to the position of a hired thug for Goodluck Jonathan.”
The group, which also announced a new phase for its struggle for justice, claimed responsibility for the January 28 bombing of the Ogbogbabene country home of the Minister of Niger-Delta, Elder Peter Godsday Orubebe in Burtutu Local Government Area of Delta State.
In the words of the group, “On Saturday, the 4th of February at 19:30hrs, fighters of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (M.E.N.D) attacked and destroyed the Agip trunk line at brass in Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
“This relatively insignificant attack is a reminder of our presence in the creeks of the Niger Delta and a sign of things to come”, it stated.
“We have constantly warned Nigerians about Goodluck Jonathan and his train of idiots running Nigeria. Events of the last few months have vindicated our position on the inability of this moron to lead Nigeria anywhere but downwards”, the group added.
“Rather than address serious issues facing the nation and its citizens, Goodluck Jonathan squanders public funds on tribalistic sycophants and thugs calling themselves ex-militants.
For more, please see the full article by Vanguard: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/02/mend-directions-of-a-new-upsurge/
