Nigerian militants take over Chevron oil facility in Delta Region

Over 100 armed militants believed from illegal Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF) on Thursday attacked and took over at least one oil flowstation operated by oil giant Chevron, an official of the US company said.

The official who asked not to be named said about 120 armed militants in eight boats attacked the Idama flow station Thursday morning.

"They took off weapons from the security guards and occupied the Idama flowstation" in the oil-rich Niger Delta, he said. The militants are believed to head for other flowstations in the region.

Leaders of the NDPVF on Wednesday threatened to attack oil installations if their top leader Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo Asari would not be released soon.

They also warned foreign oil workers to withdraw from the oil- rich Niger Delta because they would attack oil facilities to retaliate for the arrest of their leader.

Dakuro Princewill, one of Asari's commanders, told reporters that some 3,000 volunteers were ready to take action.

Asari was arrested in the oil city of Port Harcourt, the capital of Nigeria's southern state of River, and flown to the capital Abuja on Tuesday.

Police said Asari was arrested over "seditious and treasonable" comments and could face prosecution.

In a recent exclusive interview given to the Daily Independent, a leading daily newspaper in Nigeria, Asari said: "Nigeria is an evil entity. It has nothing to stand on and I will continue to fight and try to see that Nigeria dissolves and disintegrates."

The separatist militant group last year threatened to launch an overall war against foreign oil companies which increased the price of crude to 50 US dollars a barrel.

Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa and the eighth largest oil exporter in the world with the output of crude of over 2.5 million barrels per day.

Source: Xinhua