Nigeria’s army quelled a demonstration at one of the country’s main oil-export terminals on Friday, said the platform’s operator, ChevronTexaco, and activists claimed two protesters were shot dead.
Soldiers in the Escravos terminal opened fire on the demonstrators, killing two, said Helen Joe, a militant leader from the southern Niger delta village of Ugborodo, where the protesters are from.
”They died on the way to hospital,” said Joe, adding several people were injured and others have been detained at the terminal.
The demonstrators broke into Escravos on Friday, demanding the terminal with capacity of 400 000 barrels per day shut down until more local people are employed there.
The terminal is key to Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) member Nigeria’s oil output of 2,5-million barrels per day, most of which is produced in the impoverished Niger delta. Nigeria is the world’s seventh-largest oil exporter.
ChevronTexaco spokesperson Femi Odumabo in Nigeria confirmed that security forces had intervened, but would not comment on whether anyone had been injured or killed.
”The government forces have been able to put this one under control,” said Odumabo. ”The security forces have always been there, and right now they are just doing their job.” — Sapa-AP