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 said 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..
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.