Avengers Deny (Niger Delta) killing Soldiers As Military Crackdown Against New Militants

The new militant group in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region has denied claims that its members killed soldiers. The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) took to Twitter to also reject allegations that the army arrested some of the militants.

The tweets follow a statement by the army claiming soldiers arrested 10 NDA members and averted a planned attack on an oil pipeline. The army also claimed that on two separate occasions, soldiers encountered "suspected vandals" who opened fire on the patrol teams.

NDA is the latest militant organisation to wage war against Nigeria due to perceived marginalization in the Niger Delta. Earlier this year, attacks blamed on NDA partially halted oil production and forced Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell to close two plants following attacks linked to the group.

On 27 May, the group took to Twitter to claim responsibility for an attack at "Nembe 1, 2 and 3 Brass to Bonny Trunk Line belonging to Agip and Shell." The group also warned that "something big" was about to happen.