Abuja - Royal Dutch Shell said Thursday it had shut down
production at its main offshore oil field in Nigeria after a militant
attack.
'I can confirm that the Bonga field in western Niger Delta was
attacked early today,' Shell spokesman Precious Okolobo said.
'Production at the facility has been shut off, but we cannot
confirm further details at the moment.'
Militant attacks have cut production in Nigeria by almost a
quarter since the beginning of the year, contributing to sky-
rocketing global oil prices.
The closing of the Bonga field, which can produce 225,000 barrels
per day, cuts the West African nation's capacity by around 10 per
cent.
The militant Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta
(MEND) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that it had
captured an American citizen from oil services company Tidex in the
process.
'This man was supposed to only be released in exchange for all
Niger Delta hostages being held in northern Nigeria by the Nigerian
government,' the statement read.
The group said it would release the hostage in a few hours to
prevent 'opportunists' ransoming the captive.
MEND said that it had attempted to gain access to the main control
room for coordinating exports from the field but decided against
burning down the facility 'to avoid loss of life.'
However, MEND said that the facility would not be spared during
the next attack.
'We ask all workers in the Bonga fields to evacuate for their own
safety as the military cannot protect them,' it warned.
Army Lieutenant-Colonel Sagir Musa, spokesman of the troops
responsible for providing security to oil-production facilities,
confirmed the attack but said the situation had been brought under
control.
Militants in the impoverished Niger Delta regularly attack oil
production facilities and abduct oil workers as they press for a
bigger say in oil exploitation in the area.
Nigeria is second only to Angola in oil production in Africa. In
spite of its oil wealth, the majority of Nigerians live on below one
dollar a day.
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