Further economic woes were averted on Sunday, when troops attached to Operation Delta Safe, patrolling Warri river, intercepted militants from bombing the Forcardos Export Line operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SNPECo) in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.
This happened barely five months after the same crude oil export line fell to the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) in June 2016, which led to the arrest of six community leaders by soldiers.
The hoodlums were said to have arrived at a spot along the crude oil pipeline at about 9:00 a.m. in the oil-rich Ogulagha community.
A security, which disclosed this, said the hoodlums were about planting an improvised explosive device (IED) when they suddenly saw a military patrol boat on top speed approaching.