afrol News, 18 March - The Nigerian militants sabotage on an oil pipeline has forced the country’s main oil producer Chevron Corporation in southern Nigeria to shut its daily production by more than 10,000 barrels, the company said in a statement.

The attacks which reportedly took place on Monday was the second in less than a week in the oil rich Niger Delta State. Last Friday gunmen blew up a pipeline belonging to the American oil giant Chevron.

The military taskforce in the western Niger Delta, Colonel Rabe Abubakar said the attack has resulted to a leakage into four communities in the area, further stating that the attackers were believed to have defected from the camp of militant leader Government Tompolo, who is based in Delta state.

"The group had threatened to continue with their attacks on installations and facilities unless they receive gratification from the multinationals,” he said, emphasising that the threat will not be allowed to continue.

Three years of rising violence across Nigeria's southern oil region has cost Nigeria a 25 percent decrease in output to under 2 million barrels a day.

The militants' campaign to bomb pipelines is aimed at forcing the federal government to send more oil-industry funds to their areas. Kidnappings, robbery and other crimes are now endemic in the south.

Militants in the Niger Delta say they are fighting for a fairer share of the oil revenue, but many are criminal gangs who operate as armed security for oil theft syndicates who also fund themselves through kidnapping and extortion.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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