Militant Group Claims Attack On Oil And Gas Pipelines In Delta.
The Niger Delta Liberation Movement has claimed responsibility for attacking oil and gas pipelines along the Olero-Dibi-Abiteye fields and flow stations in Delta State.
In a statement released on Thursday and signed by the group’s secretary, Emmanuel Tagbanaraewumi, the attack was described as the beginning of “Operation Chevron Dragnet.” The militant group stated that the operation involved multiple blasts targeting pipelines of varying diameters, which transport crude oil and natural gas.
“These multiple blasts are the start of operations code-named Chevron Dragnet,” the statement read. “We promise a shocker and vow to continue hitting facilities used for crude oil exploration activities in the Warri region. This is just the beginning of Operation Chevron Dragnet.”
The group expressed frustration over what they perceived as Chevron Nigeria Limited’s disregard for the concerns of local communities, particularly the Itsekiri ethnic group. According to the statement, several host communities had made repeated requests for employment quotas to be allocated to them in Chevron’s ongoing recruitment drive, but these calls had gone unanswered.
“We had earlier demanded the unconditional conversion of VTP5/OTP2 and VTP6, among others, but these demands were ignored,” said Tagbanaraewumi. The group expressed solidarity with local calls for the implementation of the Local Content Law and for Chevron to allocate a fair share of recruitment opportunities to host communities.
The militant group also referenced previous attacks on oil facilities in the Warri area, including a significant gas line blast on June 18, 2024, at the Dibi to Olero junction. The Niger Delta Liberation Movement warned that, without addressing these demands, further attacks on oil infrastructure would follow.
“We will not give Chevron any ultimatums or timelines, as was evident in our past actions. As long as Chevron remains silent and continues to engage in politics at the expense of host communities, we will continue to back these calls with the language they will understand,” the statement concluded.
The group’s actions highlight ongoing tensions between oil companies and local communities in the Niger Delta, with demands for greater local involvement in the region’s oil industry continuing to grow.
