Avengers denies ceasefire truce with FG

The Niger Delta Avengers militant group that has claimed responsibility for attacks on oil and gas facilities in Nigeria’s southern energy hub on Tuesday restated its position that it had not entered into any ceasefire agreement with the Nigerian government.

The group said, “The NDA High Command never remember having any agreement on ceasefire with the Nigeria Government.”

The militants say they want a greater share of Nigeria’s oil wealth to go to the impoverished Delta region. Crude sales make up about 70 percent of national income and the vast majority of that oil comes from the southern swampland.

Speaking with Reuters, a petroleum ministry official said the Avengers, who have claimed responsibility for most attacks in the last few weeks that have pushed Nigeria’s crude output to 30-year lows, were among those who agreed to a truce.

“It was very difficult getting the Niger Delta Avengers to the negotiating table, but we eventually did through a proxy channel and achieved the truce,” said the anonymous official. A second government official also said a ceasefire was agreed.

But hours later, the Avengers issued a statement on Twitter denying that it had an agreement with the government.