Nigerian army, militants clash near Chevron oil site

PORT HARCOURT, May 19 (Reuters) – Nigerian security forces clashed with militants on Tuesday close to an oil flow station in the western Niger Delta operated by U.S. energy giant Chevron (CVX.N), an army spokesman said.

“Our troops at Chevron’s Abiteye flow station in Delta state captured two speed boats belonging to the militants,” Colonel Rabe Abubakar said. “The militants on board the speed boats fled and abandoned them after a fierce exchange of fire,” he said.

Africa’s top oil and gas exporter is on alert for retaliatory attacks after the military launched its biggest offensive for several years last week, bombarding a major militant camp with helicopters and gunboats.

Reuters