Nigeria rebels say attack Shell oil pipeline

LAGOS (Reuters) – Rebels from Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta said they had blown up a Royal Dutch Shell pipeline and killed 11 soldiers in a firefight on Monday, but the army denied losing any men.

The rebel Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said in an emailed statement that it had sabotaged the Shell pipeline at Awoba flow station in southern Rivers state in the early hours of Monday morning.


“Today’s attack is dedicated to the administration of (President) Umaru Yar’Adua and (Vice President) Goodluck Jonathan who have failed after one year in office to ensure peace, security and reconciliation in the Niger Delta region,” the MEND statement said.

Shell in Nigeria said it was investigating and had no immediate comment.

Nigeria’s army initially denied there had been an attack but later confirmed there had been a blast early on Monday at a Shell facility close to Awoba which was not guarded by soldiers.

Reuters