Militants Destroy Pipelines in Nigeria

Nigerian militants Tuesday said they had destroyed three large pipelines in the African country’s oil-rich Niger Delta.

In an e-mail to journalists, the militant group MEND, for the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, said its bomb attack disrupted power to an export facility owned by Agip, an Italian oil company, the Voice of America reported.

MEND spokesman Jomo Gbomo wrote the group would disrupt more oil exports with attacks on pipelines and other facilities.

A spokesman for the government of the southern Nigerian Bayelsa state, Ekiyol Wilson, confirmed the attack.

This morning, we just woke to hear that they have attacked oil facilities in Brass and Akasa, Wilson told VOA. It is pure criminality. … Government is looking into it and government will get to the bottom of the matter. That is all we can say.

MEND also released photos of six foreign oil workers kidnapped last week. Voice of America said the hostages looked well.

MEND has said it is fighting for a greater share of Nigeria’s oil wealth to go to local communities.