The
row between Niger Delta Avengers, NDA and ExxonMobil over alleged bombing, last
Monday, of the company’s Que Iboe 48-inch Crude Oil Export Pipeline degenerated
weekend, as the militant group threatened to target the company’s workers
instead of blowing up its facilities.
NDA
also renewed its warning to oil companies operating in the region not to repair
any of its facilities blown up by the militants or face dire consequences for
disobedience.
Avengers,
ExxonMobil row started on Tuesday, about 24 hours after the militant group
claimed to have bombed the company’s 48-inch crude export line in Akwa Ibom
state when the company’s spokesperson, Todd Spitler, July 12, said: “There was
no attack on our facilities.”
The
group, which earlier claimed responsibility for the June 11 attack, replied
through its spokesperson, self-styled Brig Gen Mudoch Agbinibo: “ExxonMobil can
deny and fool the general public about their Export Pipeline blown yesterday.
How long can they lie to their investors? Just in matter of days, the whole
world will see the truth. Qua Iboe 48” crude oil export pipeline is down so
said the Avengers.”
ExxonMobil
further refuted the claim on Friday, describing what happened as a “system anomaly’
Responding
to the second denial of the attack by the company, Avengers, in a statement,
entitled, “ExxonMobil, stop deceiving the world,” asserted: “When we published
that the Qua Iboe 48-inch crude oil export line was blown by us , ExxonMobil denied
it, but now ExxonMobil has admitted that the 48” pipeline that Niger Delta
Avengers blew up is “System Anomaly.”.
“We
urged them to follow the path of safety by admitting it that was blown, but
ExxonMobil not admitting it to their traders/international refineries is none
of our business. It will become our business when ExxonMobil carries out repair
work on the blown pipeline.
“When
that time comes, it will not be ExxonMobil declaring force majeure, but it is
going to be something worse,” NDA spokesperson, Agbinibo said, Friday.
The
militant group added: “ExxonMobil and Akwa Ibom government can deny Niger Delta
Avengers is not in Akwa Ibom state but we want them to know that one of our
elite strike teams is based in Akwa Ibom state.”
“We
are warning ExxonMobil not to carry out any repair work on the blown pipeline,
if they refuse and go ahead with any repair work, something big and worse will
happen.
“To
the traders/international refineries doing business with them, do not let
ExxonMobil deceive you that the repair work will take three to four weeks, with
the level of damage. it will take them (ExxonMobil) months to fix it,” NDA
said.
It
stated: “What happened to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) crude oil
export pipeline in Forcados is an example to all International Oil Companies,
IOCs, no repair works until the federal government heed to our demands.”
It
warned: “If ExxonMobil fails to listen to us (Niger Delta Avengers), your
personnel are going to be our next casualties, not pipelines.”
Source: Vanguard
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