The Niger Delta Avengers militant group, which has claimed responsibility for the majority of a recent spate of attacks on oil and gas facilities in the country, said late on Monday that it blew up an Exxon Mobil Corp facility in Akwa Ibom State yesterday, July 11.

A statement shared on the group’s website said: “At about 7:30pm yesterday July 11th, the Niger Delta Avengers blow up ExxonMobil Qua Iboe 48″ crude oil export pipeline. When will these International Oil companies (IOC) learn to listen. We (Niger Delta Avengers) said no export.”

This is the first known operation in Akwa Ibom by the Avengers, who in the past concentrated on the neighbouring states of Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers.

The militants, whose attacks briefly pushed Nigeria’s crude production to 30-year lows in spring, said they want a greater share of the OPEC member’s energy wealth to go to the impoverished southern Niger Delta, the source of most of the country’s oil.

•Largely based on Agency reports. Photo shows Niger Delta militants.