The fuel shortage in Nigeria has worsened after the rupture of a major crude oil pipeline, apparently by explosives. The breakage set off an oil fire and cut supplies to two of Nigeria’s main oil refineries. It is not clear who carried out the attack, but it was close to the oil city of Warri, where militant youths from the Ijaw community had threatened to blow up oil facilities as they demand greater political representation. Nigeria has been gripped by shortages of fuel for more than a month, with long queues outside petrol stations. The government had blamed it on “political enemies” trying to discredit it ahead of general elections later this month. “It is serious vandalism. Explosives were used. That pipeline is still on fire now,” Ndu Ughamadu, public affairs manager for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said on Sunday, a day after the attack. Ethnic violence around Warri had led to an almost 40% cut in Nigeria’s oil output but oil companies had started to reopen some facilities in the region. The army had claimed to have re-imposed order in the area but Ijaw leaders had warned the oil companies against increasing production. Full Story
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