ABUJA, Nigeria, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- An armed Nigerian militant group says it was behind an attack on an oil pipeline in the Niger Delta region that feeds a large oil refinery.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND, which made the claim Tuesday, has attacked pipelines in the oil-rich area before, CNN reported
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. has confirmed the attack by armed militants on its Warri-Escravos pipeline, the BBC reported.
MEND is one of several militant groups in the Niger Delta fighting the country's government over the distribution of Nigeria's massive oil wealth.
"This attack and similar attacks on pipelines which will take place within the next few days is a reminder to the Nigerian government of the futility of wasting the nations resources in combating militancy without addressing the underlying causes of agitation in the Niger Delta," MEND said in a statement.
Nigeria is one of the globe's biggest oil producers, averaging around 2.2 million barrels per day in the Niger Delta, the BBC said.
