Nigeria is losing $1.017 million daily to attacks on pipelines by militants in the Niger Delta Region, as her crude oil export plunged further by 21,000 bpd.

This is coming after Eni, declared a force majeure on the Brass River crude oil stream following the bombing of the pipelines used in the transport of the crude oil grade.

Looking at the current price of $48.44 per barrel for Brent, as well as an average exchange rate of N200 to $1, Nigeria is losing $1.017 million, about N203.45 million daily.

According to the Acting Director-General of the proposed Maritime Security Agency (MASECA), Jacob Ovweghre, the destruction of the pipelines in the Niger Delta will lessen the states’ income, wring the nation’s economy, increase environmental degradation, pollution, poverty, hunger, school drop-out, unrest, insecurity, under-development as well as economic loss.

The Niger Delta Avengers in the past couple of weeks, increased attacks on petroleum products pipeline across the region especially on Eni’s.

Meanwhile, Total E&P Nigeria Limited, has also voiced out its worries over attacks on its facilities in Rivers State.

The company said that its facilities were being destroyed on a daily basis by unknown people.

The Deputy Managing Director of Total E&P, Port Harcourt District, Nicolas Brunet, said that the level of attacks on its facilities was affecting its operations in the area negatively.

He added that its wellheads, hydrocarbons pipelines were being destroyed by unknown individuals in the area.

“Each one of us is affected in one way or the other with the unsavoury consequences of these acts within our communities. For us in Total, we feel the painful impact on daily basis. Our facilities are daily vandalized,” he told Vanguard.

Anita Fatunji