Last Thursday’s explosion allegedly carried out by militants on Agip’s facility in Bayelsa State has resulted in a drop in the company’s exports by16,000 barrels of oil per daily.

The explosion at the Agip facility came barely two weeks after an attack at Escarvos which led to shut down of the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries and disruption in gas supply to some power plants in the country.

The two attacks in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State, which also follow the issuance of a warrant of arrest by a Lagos High Court on ex – militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, otherwise known as Tompolo, in relation to corruption charges., has led to suspicions that he masterminded them.

The sound of the explosion was said to have caused panic and triggered oil leaks near the site.

Agip’s Italian parent company, Eni, has said in an e-mail reaction to the incident that that the cause of the explosion was being investigated by the Nigerian security agencies.

“The Eni production impacted by the incident was 16,000 barrel oil equivalent daily, (boed) and as at Monday morning all the activities aimed at restoring production have been activated,” Eni stated.

The oil company is believed to have exported about 40,000 barrels of crude from the terminal before the explosion.

Officials of the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, who spoke on condition of anonymity said on Monday that the blast was an act of sabotage, which makes the incident fall within the purview of security agencies who will first have to clear the site before its officials can go in to assess the impact of the incident on the environment..

Spokesman of the Joint Military team deployed to protect oil facilities on the Niger Delta, Isa Ado, a Colonel, could not be reached at the time of filing this report.