President Muhammadu Buhari has tripled funding for the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme from N20 billion in 2016 to N65 billion in 2017, perhaps as a way of reaching out to militants who have been bombing oil installations in the region.
The Niger Delta Avengers militant group has said that it has blown up three pipelines belonging to Agip, Oando and Shell oil companies, "in response to the so-called ‘Operation Sharkbite’, an act of terrorism commissioned by the tyranny of the Nigerian Navy ."
Suspected Niger Delta militants have again bombed a state-run oil pipeline at Batan, a community close to the southern port city of Warri, the second attack within a week.
The Nigerian army has said that suspected militants in several speed boats attacked troops deployed at Efut Esighi waterfront in Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State.
