Crude production under threat as Avengers vows attacks within days if…

Nigeria sustained crude production since last year is under serious threats of attacks by militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

In a terse statement issued Wednesday, said it planned to launch attacks on the country’s oil sector in the next few days.

Reuters had reported that the group, which wants a greater share of Nigeria’s energy wealth to go to the impoverished Delta region, said its targets would include Bonga Platform, Agbami, EA Field, Brittania-U Field, Akpo Field. In November, the group said it had ended a ceasefire.

Industry analysts say if the attack takes place, there could be significant cut Nigeria’s crude output which has improved since last year when a truce was reached between the Nigerian government and the militant groups.

Besides, the hits will further translate to less revenue for Nigeria which has been enjoying increased revenue with oil price hitting $70 in recent days, upon exemption from OPEC basket cuts.

NDA in the statement claimed responsibility for most attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta in 2016, which cut Nigeria’s crude production from a peak of 2.2 million barrels per day to near 1 million barrels per day. That was the lowest level seen in Africa’s top oil producer in at least 30 years.

The statement posted on its website averred that “This round of attacks will be the most deadly and will be targeting the deep sea operations of the multinationals”.

Business Hilights recalls that few days after its threats in 2016, the NDA unleashed bombardments on the Forcados sub-sea pipeline, a strike which involved the use of divers.

Between then and now, NDA has not carried out further attacks due to some truce reached with the government which they now say had been abandoned, thus forcing them to begin another drift to the trenches.