A band of saboteurs that calls itself the Niger Delta Avengers has been prowling the swamps of Nigeria’s petroleum-rich south for four months, bombing pipelines and diving underwater to destroy equipment. The damage has helped tip Africa’s biggest economy toward recession, and has cost Nigeria its position as the continent’s top oil producer—a distinction inherited by Angola. The...
The 'Niger Delta Avengers' are continuing their attacks on oil and gas pipelines in the area; on Friday they bombed two pipelines, one owned by Royal Dutch Shell and the other by Eni Spa. As we previously noted, this constant onslaught of damage is tipping Nigeria into recession and has cost the nation its position as Africa's top oil producer: “It is clearly having a material impact," said Facts Global Energy's James Davis. In an interview with Al Jazeera last week, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan blamed his country's woes on "external interference" from neighboring countries like Nigeria. These attacks come at a perilous moment for Nigeria; even prior to the arrival of the Avengers, its government was running low on money. The country’s reserves have fallen so drastically that the central bank has rationed access to foreign currency since last year, thereby forcing businesses to shut down since they are unable to get the dollars they need to import spare parts or repay foreign banks.