Nigeria, July 16, 2016 – The Militant group operating in the Niger Delta,( Niger Delta Avengers) has threatened that staff of ExxonMobile will be the next target of attack if the oil company goes ahead to carryout repair works on Qua Iboe 48, which the group claimed was blown up last week.
In a statement, spokesman for the group, Brig-Gen Mudoch Agbinibo said the corporation should learn from what happened when it blew up Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) crude oil export pipeline in Forcados unless the federal government heeds their demands.
“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 worst will happen.
“If ExxonMobil fails to listen to us (Niger Delta Avengers), your personnel are going to be our next casualties not pipelines”, it warned. The Niger Delta Avengers noted that when it published that the Que Iboe 48-inches crude oil export line was blown up, ExxonMobil denied it.
“But now ExxonMobil has admitted that the 48” pipeline we (Niger Delta Avengers) blew up is “System Anomaly”.
“We urging them to follow the path of safety by admitting it was blown but (ExxonMobil) not admitting it to their traders/international refineries is none of our business.
“It will become our (Niger delta Avengers) business when ExxonMobil carry out repair work on the blown pipeline. When that time comes it won’t be ExxonMobil declaring false Majeure but it’s going to be something worst”, the group said.
To the government of Akwa Ibom State, the group said Exxonmobil and Akwa Ibom government can deny Niger Delta Avengers is not in Akwa Ibom state.
“But we want them to know one of our elite strike team is based in Akwa Ibom State”, it said adding that if allowed, repair works on the damaged Qua Iboe 48 will take months and not three to four weeks as claimed by ExxonMobil, taking into consideration the level of damage.
