Port Harcourt — MILITANTS in the early hours of yesterday blew up with explosives a crude oil delivery pipeline, belonging to the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Delta State amidst fears that the execution of the multi-billion dollars Escravos Gas-to-Liquid project of the American oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited, may be truncated following a fresh threat by the people of oil-rich Ugborodo community, Warri South West local government area.

The militants who came in speedboats were reportedly armed to the teeth but there was no report of casualty or anybody taken hostage.

A source told Vanguard that the oil pipeline runs from South bank to Forcados Terminal but the details of the incident were still sketchy at the time of this report.

An official of the SPDC who preferred anonymity confirmed that the incident occurred at about 02.00 am, saying that the company was surprised, as for many months, militants had ceased fire in Delta State even though they were rampaging in other states.

A top operative of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger -Delta (MEND) in Delta State who was contacted yesterday evening said he was not aware of the incident.

Indeed, since Governor Uduaghan took over the affairs of the state, he has successfully engaged militants and brought them into the fold, and the attack came as a shock to the people of the state.