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By Tife Owolabi and Alexis Akwagyiram
LAGOS, Nov 8 (Reuters) - A blast rocked a pipeline operatedby Nigeria's state-run oil firm NNPC that feeds the Forcadosterminal in the southern Niger Delta energy hub, a communityleader and security source said on Tuesday.
The explosion occurred while the pipeline was being repairedfollowing an attack last week, they said.
A week ago, community leaders from the restive region, thesource of most of Nigeria's oil, met the president and asked himto pull the army out of the energy hub, order oil firms to moveheadquarters there and spend more on development to endmilitancy in the region.
A community leader said it happened at the same location aslast week's attack - in Batan, near the southern city of Warri -while repairs were being carried out because "the boys claimedthey were not happy" with the work.
"There was a serious fire and most people working narrowlyescaped being shot by the gunmen, who opened fire on them," saidthe leader, who did not want to be identified.
A security official attached to Operation Delta Safe alsosaid the attack took place.
A spokesman for Nigerian National Petroleum Corp (NNPC) hadno immediate comment.
Last week's attack forced the closure of the Trans ForcadosPipeline, the main contributor to the Forcados stream, cuttingthe OPEC member's oil production by at least 200,000 barrels perday). (Editing by Dale Hudson)