Militant Threat: ExxonMobil Shuts Terminal, Evacuates Workers

According to reports, ExxonMobil’s Qua Iboe crude oil terminal which has been Nigeria’s largest oil export company, producing more than 300,000 barrels per day, was reportedly closed yesterday due to militants’ threats.

It was reported that on Thursday, hundreds of youths from the Ibeno local government area of Akwa Ibom State protested at the entrance of the premises as a result of another oil spill in the area which happened about a week ago, causing a heavy impact on the environment.

Workers at the terminal have been evacuated and its tanks have been emptied, said the report, quoting traders.

An ExxonMobil spokesman later clarified that production was still “ongoing” at the terminal, although business was disrupted earlier yesterday by “criminal” activity.

“The report on the Nigerian terminal closure was being passed around, and had possibly helped crude oil prices come off their lows,” said Scott Shelton, a broker with ICAP in Durham, North Carolina.

Also the convoy of the State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang who was on an inspection of the Eket–Ibeno road to the QIT constructed by the state government was blocked by the youths. He was said to have been allowed and escorted by the youths to his vehicle to go after softly talking to the demonstrators.

The youths were said to have spurned pleas from the State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Inioboong Essien who was said to have rushed to the scene of the protest since 10.00 am in order to stop the youth protest.

Some police vehicles, however, were stationed in the area to ensure the peaceful protest did not degenerate into violence.

“Some of the placards read “Ibeno people are suffocating because of the oil spill by ExxonMobil, clean our environment”, “ExxonMobil your maintenance culture is very poor, shame on your negligence, “ExxonMobil oil spill is an offense by law. Stop committing it”, “ Stop gas flaring and oil spills in our environment,” among others.

Reacting to the protest, Mobil Producing Nigeria, MPN, operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC/MPN Joint Venture, confirmed the report.