Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Militants Blackmail Nigerian Government


Militant groups in Nigeria’s Niger-Delta region are now demanding a payment of $3 million per any vandalised spot on the crude oil pipeline passing through the Chanomi creek channel before repair works should be carried out lest the efforts be frustrated aggressively.

It was gathered that there are about 23 vandalised spots on the pipeline and that the militants in the area are demanding the sum of $3 million per spot to be paid otherwise no repair work would be allowed to commence.

It was gathered that a contractor was granted access to the Chanomi Creek Channel in the first place because certain access fees were paid to the militants.

At a recently held oil and gas conference in the Nation’s capital city, Abuja, the immediate past boss of the state owned NNPC stated that he was having difficulties getting a contractor to go in and effect repairs on the pipeline in the Chanomi Creek channel.


Read more here. This story also directly relates to this one.

The fact that the Nigerian government is not able to fend of black mail like this and has fallen victim to similar schemes before does not bode well for its stability. This story reveals that freelance militant groups hald much power in Nigeria, and some hold more power than the government in some instances.
Grade this.

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