Militants Claim Attack on Chevron Oil Wells in Nigeria
The Niger Delta Avengers said on Wednesday it had bombed two oil wells operated by U.S. energy group Chevron in Nigeria's oil-rich south, in the latest militant strike against production.
"With the heavy presence of 100 gunboats, four warships and jet bombers NDA blew up Chevron oil well RMP 23 and RMP 24 3:44 am (0244 GMT) this morning (Wednesday)," it said on Twitter.
Chevron officials refused to comment but an industry source who asked to remain anonymous said: "I can confirm the attack on the two oil wells.
"It has resulted to a leak spilling oil into the place. We have reported to Chevron and we are awaiting directives from them," the oil worker told AFP.
The NDA is the most high-profile group to emerge recently in the increasingly restive Niger delta region.
It has launched a series of attacks since the start of this year on Chevron, Shell, ENI and the state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The strikes have cut Nigeria's output to a 20-year low and helped to push up global crude prices.
Junior oil minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu recently said oil production had fallen from 2.2 million barrels per day to 1.4 million bpd -- the lowest level since the 1990s.
The military, which has called the NDA "economic terrorists", has deployed gunboats and fighter jets to stop the violence and hunt down the militants.
They are believed to have sympathy for a former oil rebel leader who commanded militants in the region in the 2000s and who is now wanted on money laundering and corruption charges.
Source: Agence France Presse
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