Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, (MEND) has warned oil companies working along the coastal region of Nigeria to be ready for war, just as it said the military was not in a position to protect them.
MEND said the oil companies were in for a raw deal, stressing that it had decided to step up its attack on oil installations ahead of schedule. "And there will be many more to follow," it assured.
Nigeria's main rebel group, Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, yesterday said it had stepped up attacks against the country's oil infrastructure by supplying explosives to communities to use to blow up oil pipelines.
MEND said it blew up a Shell pipeline yesterday. Nigerian security agencies are yet to confirm the attack as at the time of going to press.
"On Thursday, April 17, 2008 at 2230 hours, commandos from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), sabotaged a major Shell Petroleum Company pipeline at Adamakiri in Rivers State of Nigeria. That pipeline crosses from the Cawthorn channel to Bonny," the group said in an e-mail signed by Jomo Gbomo and sent to journalists.
The group also said it provided logistics to the group that attacked a Chevron facility in Delta State on Thursday.
"MEND can confirm that it provided the logistic and material support to the group that carried out the warning attack on the Chevron Oil Facility in Delta State on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 .
"We salute the brave fighters who participated in this membership training session and were embarrassed that the Nigerian soldiers fled from even advantaged positions. The mission was a success as the group was able to capture various weapons and ammunition abandoned during the operation. All the boys returned safely to camp.
"MEND will offer materials such as explosives to communities that have now realised that it is better to destroy oil facilities in their territory since they do not benefit them in the first place. We have started enlisting men to join the fight that is inevitable, and can assure the oil companies that they are in for a raw deal, as the military is not in the position to protect them."
The rebel group said it "will offer materials such as explosives to communities that have now realised that it is better to destroy oil facilities in their territory since they do not benefit them in the first place."
It also said it had this week, attacked facilities operated by Chevron Corp.
It isn't known if oil production was interrupted.
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