Bomb attacks on pipelines cause huge oil spill in Nigeria

It is said to be the biggest spill in years.

Nigerian residents say multiple bombings of Agip oil pipelines have caused thousands of barrels of oil to pollute waterways, farms and fishing grounds in southern Bayelsa state.

Fishermen say oil flowed unchecked for two days.

A spokesman for Italian parent company ENI says 16,000 barrels of oil per day were lost and the company on Monday began working to resume production. The rules of the official’s job do not allow him to be quoted by name.

‘The biggest spill in years’

Community leader Eke-Spiff Erempagamo says the spill “is massive, the biggest in years” in the Brass local government area. Residents blamed the explosions on Thursday and Friday on militants who want a bigger share of oil revenues for the producing states. The government said similar attacks last week are costing $2.4 million a day.