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By Camillus Eboh
ABUJA, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Nigeria's oil minister urgedmilitants on Friday to stop their attacks on oil facilities inNigeria's southern Niger Delta hub and pursue talks with thegovernment.
The call comes after attacks in the last two weeks on theTrans Forcados Pipeline, the main contributor to the Forcadoscrude stream, the most recent of which was claimed by the NigerDelta Avengers militant group on Wednesday.
The attacks took place despite most groups adhering to aceasefire in the last few weeks while the government pursuedtalks with community leaders who, like the militants, want agreater share of Nigeria's energy wealth to go to the regionthat produces most of its oil.
A petroleum ministry statement said on Friday that EmmanuelIbe Kachikwu, minister of state for oil, had "expressed hisgrave concern and disappointment about the recent pipelineattacks", particularly coming after a meeting between localleaders and the president.
"He urges all militants to stop and give the ensuingdialogue a chance to birth peace in the region," said thestatement.
Earlier this month President Muhammadu Buhari met withleaders from the southern swampland for the first time since theattacks began in January. They urged him to pull the army out ofthe region, order oil firms to move their headquarters there andspend more on development to end the militancy. (Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle,Greg Mahlich)
