Nigeria to Lose N2.79bn Daily as Avengers Blast Qua Iboe Terminal

*Exxon Mobil says no attacks at its facilities despite Nigerian militants’ claim

By Sylvester Idowu

Nigeria may be losing about N2.79 billion daily as from this Tuesday as the unrelenting militant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) last night blasted Qua Iboe crude oil terminal operated by ExxonMobil.

Qua Iboe is Nigeria’s largest crude oil stream and exports usually more
than 300,000 barrels per day.

At the current oil price of $47 per barrel, the country is bound to lose
billions of naira daily.

Security sources told THISDAY early this morning that the militants stormed the terminal at about 7.30 p.m and bombed the terminal with dynamites.

“The hoodlums stormed the terminal in several boats and immediately blasted
it and sped away. The attack was professionally carried out. They were
versed with the terrain”, he said.

It was gathered that the security agents attached to the manifold were
caught unawares as they did not expect any attack by that hour..

According to a terse statement signed by its spokesman, Mudoch Agbinibo,
the Niger Delta Avengers said it blew up the ExxonMobil Qua Iboe 48″ crude
oil export pipeline at about 7.30 p.m.

In the statement titled “OTHER EXPORT PIPELINE BLOWN”, the militant group
said “At about 7:30pm the Niger Delta Avengers blow up ExxonMobile Qua Iboe
48″ crude oil export pipeline. When will these International Oil companies (IOC) learn to listen. We (Niger Delta Avengers) said no export”.

Reacting swiftly to the incident, Exxon Mobil Corp said in the early hours of Tuesday that no attacks had taken place at its facilities after Nigerian militant group Niger Delta Avengers said it had blown up the Qua Iboe 48″ crude oil export pipeline operated by the company.

“There were no attacks on our facilities,” said Exxon Mobil spokesman Todd Spitler.

Late on Monday Nigerian militant group Niger Delta Avengers said on its website that it had blown up an Exxon Mobil Corp facility.