The Nigerien authorities have confirmed the “sabotage” claimed by “malicious individuals” of part of an oil pipeline carrying crude oil to Benin.
On the night of June 16 to 17, “malicious individuals sabotaged part of the pipeline in the department of Tesker (center-east),” public television Télé Sahel said on Friday evening.
“We have already gathered information and clues about the alleged perpetrators” and “all those who contributed will be arrested and judged in accordance with their terrorist act,” the region’s governor declared on public television. from Zinder, Colonel Issoufou Labo who went to the scene of the attack.
“We know which group is the author of the act (which it has also) claimed,” added, for his part, Ousmane Baydo, public prosecutor near the judicial center for the fight against terrorism of Zinder who opened an investigation.
Read also: Niger has closed the valves of its oil to Benin since June 6
On Monday, the Patriotic Liberation Front (FPL) claimed responsibility for an attack that put “out of use” “a significant section” of the pipeline carrying crude oil to Benin.
“This act of sabotage and vandalism” “damaged the pipeline” and led to a leak of crude oil, reported Télé Sahel, which broadcast images of an oil spill stretching over 370 meters in the middle of the bush.
Nearly 2,000 km long, the targeted pipeline must transport oil from Agadem (north-eastern Niger) to the port of Sèmè-Kpodji in Benin.
With MAP
