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Nigerian oil pipeline sabotaged | Nigerian oil pipeline sabotaged |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Royal Dutch Shell has shut three oil flow stations in Nigeria's Niger Delta region after a pipeline was sabotaged, a company spokeswoman has said. | Royal Dutch Shell has shut three oil flow stations in Nigeria's Niger Delta region after a pipeline was sabotaged, a company spokeswoman has said. |
She said Saturday's leak on the Trans Ramos oil pipeline was confirmed "to have been caused by sabotage". The leak was later stopped. | She said Saturday's leak on the Trans Ramos oil pipeline was confirmed "to have been caused by sabotage". The leak was later stopped. |
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. | No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. |
It came shortly after Nigeria's militant group Mend said it was ending the truce it declared last October. | It came shortly after Nigeria's militant group Mend said it was ending the truce it declared last October. |
Mend (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) said it was not "directly responsible" for the attack, reports the Reuters news agency. | Mend (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) said it was not "directly responsible" for the attack, reports the Reuters news agency. |
But an e-mailed statement said: "It was certainly a response to our order to resume hostilities by one of the various freelance groups we endorse." | But an e-mailed statement said: "It was certainly a response to our order to resume hostilities by one of the various freelance groups we endorse." |
Nigeria is one of the world's major oil producers but output has been cut by years of unrest in the Niger Delta - the source of its oil. | Nigeria is one of the world's major oil producers but output has been cut by years of unrest in the Niger Delta - the source of its oil. |
A Mend spokesman said the group did not believe the government would restore control of resources to local people. | A Mend spokesman said the group did not believe the government would restore control of resources to local people. |
Mend has demanded that local residents be given a greater share in profits from the oil produced by the region. | Mend has demanded that local residents be given a greater share in profits from the oil produced by the region. |
But much of the violence in the region has been carried out by criminal gangs. | But much of the violence in the region has been carried out by criminal gangs. |
Mend warned oil companies to prepare for an "all-out onslaught" against installations and personnel. | Mend warned oil companies to prepare for an "all-out onslaught" against installations and personnel. |
The BBC's Caroline Duffield in Lagos says it is not clear whether the statement speaks for the whole of Mend or just a faction that did not accept the offer of an amnesty from Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua. | |
Under the amnesty, thousands of fighters handed in their weapons last year. | Under the amnesty, thousands of fighters handed in their weapons last year. |
Some militant leaders are not ready to return to violence, and have indicated they are willing to wait and see whether the amnesty process does move forward. | |
But it is also clear that for many others, patience is running out. | |
Correspondents say the peace accord has been jeopardised by Mr Yar'Adua's absence for the past two months - he is being treated for a heart problem in Saudi Arabia. |