Suspected militants attack Nigerian Agip oil’s pipeline in Bayelsa

Suspected militants have attacked Nigerian Agip oil Company (NAOC)’s crude oil pipeline located at Brass Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa State.

The attack, which is said to have hit oil pipelines of the Italy-based Eni’s subsidiary, comes following the issuing of an arrest warrant in January 2016 against former militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo.

The dynamite attacks launched by the militants allegedly have affected pipelines in Orukari, Golubokiri and Kpongbokiri communities.

Reuters quoted Bayelsa state assembly member Israel Sunny-Goli saying: "I want to condemn the latest attack on the Agip pipeline at Kpongbokiri."

Sunny-Goli added that the purpose of bombing was to damage the economic interests of Bayelsa and Nigeria.

The attacks have been carried out on a crude pipeline as a site of a crude export terminal, following which crude spilled from the Agip pipeline and spread into the sea and fishing camps.

NAOC operates in the land and swamp areas of the Niger Delta, under a joint venture agreement with Nigerian National Petroleum, NAOC, and Oando and has its concessions within Bayelsa, Delta, Imo and Rivers States.

The company also operates two onshore exploration leases, namely OPL 282 in the Swamp and OPL 135 in the Land area.

The Nigerian National Petroleum closed its Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries in the southern Niger Delta in January 2016 citing crude supply problems after recent attacks on oil pipelines.