President Muhammadu Buhari has cancelled his visit to Ogoni land in Rivers state.
The president was scheduled to travel to the state to inaugurate the process of cleaning up the area.
Although no reason was given for the cancellation of the visit, it followed threats by militants- Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) on the life of the president. However, Yemi Osinbajo, vice-president, is expected to represent the president at the event.
The clean-up of the Niger Delta is on the recommendation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) which submitted its report to former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. The army said militants killed six people on Wednesday when they ambushed a boat belonging to state oil firm NNPC in the Warri area.
Separately, the Niger Delta Avengers group said it had attacked two crude pipelines operated by Italy’s ENI.
“At about 2:00am today @NDAvengers blew up the Ogboinbiri to Tebidaba and Clough Creek to Tebidaba Crude Oil pipelines in Bayelsa State,” the group said on Twitter.
“This is in line with our promise to all international oil companies and indigenous oil companies that Nigeria oil production will be zero.”
The Avengers group has claimed responsibility for other recent attacks on Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell facilities. A wave of such attacks have helped drive the country’s oil output to a 20-year low.
According to environment experts, the clean-up of the Niger Delta may take 20 years or more to accomplish.
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