LAGOS , Nigeria ( CNN ) -- Nigeria 's main militant group said Friday it destroyed another oil pipeline owned and operated by a foreign company in the Niger Delta region . File image shows Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta fighters . It is the third reported attack this week by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta , or MEND , which demands a fairer distribution of the country 's oil wealth . `` Heavily armed fighters '' blew up a `` major '' crude oil pipeline run by the Italian gas company , Agip , in Bayelsa state early Friday , MEND spokesman Jomo Gbomo said in an e-mail . There was no immediate word from Agip about the purported attack . Some companies in the region have shut down their operations in the Niger Delta in the wake of ongoing violence there . The fighters reached the pipeline after overpowering a Nigerian military gunboat , Gbomo said . `` All the soldiers numbering seven ( 7 ) were dispossessed of their weapons , '' he said . `` The gunboat was also stripped of its weapons before it was disabled by explosives . The soldiers pleaded for their lives to be spared and we did . '' The militant group said it blew up Shell 's major crude oil trunk line late Wednesday in Bayelsa state , as part of its campaign `` to cripple the entire oil and gas export of the Federal Republic of Nigeria . '' MEND called on the company to `` vacate the Niger Delta region to avoid collateral damage to their investment and death to staff . '' Shell confirmed an attack on its pipeline in Bayelsa on Wednesday , saying it shut down some production `` to avoid potential environmental impact , '' spokesman David Williams said . `` There 's a joint investigation underway to determine the quantity of crude ( oil ) spilled , '' Williams told CNN from the company 's headquarters in The Hague , Netherlands . MEND also claimed to have attacked a Chevron oil station in the Niger Delta region Monday and threatened further attacks in other states in the Niger Delta region , as well as on offshore oil facilities . At the time , a Chevron spokesman said it was investigating the reported attack on its Abiteye flow station . The U.S.-based company halted its onshore operations in the region last month . MEND on Monday also warned the international football association FIFA that it should `` rethink '' allowing Nigeria to host the upcoming under-17 World Cup series later this year . `` The safety of international players and visitors can not be guaranteed due to the current unrest , '' MEND said in an e-mail . Only two out of the nine stadiums in Nigeria are close to being ready for the tournament which is scheduled to take place between October 24 and November 15 , according to FIFA . The association has given the country a grace period to start constructing the remaining venues , FIFA Vice President Jack Warner said . Last month , the militant group declared an `` all-out war '' on the government after what it said was a deadly bombing raid on civilians . It is not the first declaration of war by MEND , which demands that more of Nigeria 's oil wealth be reinvested in the region instead of enriching those whom the militants consider corrupt politicians . The militant group declared war against the government in September for what it said were unprovoked attacks . At that time , MEND destroyed several oil facilities , forcing Nigeria to cut its oil exports by as many as 1 million barrels of oil per day , or 40 percent . The recent violence -- which has included attacks on pipelines and hostage-taking -- has limited shipment of crude oil supplies out of Nigeria , Africa 's largest producer .
Militants claim to have overpowered gunboat and bombed a major pipeline . Score: 6 Last month the militant group declared an `` all-out war '' on the government . Recent violence has limited shipments of crude oil supplies from Nigeria .