Port Harcourt — A coalition of militant groups in the Niger Delta, the Joint Revolutinary Council said its affiliates have sabotaged a major oil facility in the region.

In an online message signed by Bakabio Walter on behalf of the group, the council boasted " Tonight will go down in history as the day all genuine and patriotic Niger Delta nationalists decided to act collectively and decisively in waging a battle that will ultimately lead to the establishment of a free and independent Niger Delta.

"At about midnight today, the patriotic force of Niger Delta successfully disabled the Trunk line belonging to Shell in the swamp of Obunoma in today's Akokutoru Local Government of Rivers State.

"This Trunk Line connect Nembe Creek, Belema, Soku Field, Ekulama 1 and Ekulama 2 Flow Stations to the Bonny Export Terminal. This has dealt a devastating blow on the occupation Nigerian State in the Niger Delta and it is just the beginning."

Walter explained, "This renewed liberation effort is being effectively coordinated by the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC) of the Niger Delta which got reinvigorated as a result of series of consultations with patriotic groups in our territory."

The statement continued that "The abduction of Chief Ralph Uwazurike by the Nigerian Police at a time when the operators of the Nigerian State should be more serious about resolving the national question helped us in arriving at the conclusion it is only through armed struggle for independence that our people can be freed.

"We believe that it will be a betrayal and disservice to our people if we continue to preach nonviolence in the face of this madness. We therefore resolve to collectively make the following declarations on behalf of the Niger Delta: The Niger Delta struggle is for self determination, nationhood and freedom. ;

The Nigerian State is an occupation force and can only be defeated through armed struggle. The Niger Delta freedom fighters have decided to resume armed struggle; The Joint Revolutionary Council of Niger Delta shall mobilize all patriotic forces in the territory of the Niger Delta to wage a consistent revolutionary war until the last piece of our territory is liberated from the occupation forces.

Walter also declared "This is a call to battle and collective responsibility of all right thinking indigenes of Niger Delta. This is definitely different from all that you have heard about before."