Unknown attackers have blown up a gas pipeline belonging to Italy's Eni in Nigeria's Niger Delta, residents and the company said on May 18, the latest in a string of attacks on oil and gas facilities in the impoverished region.

The attack occurred on May 17 in Ogbembiri in Bayelsa state, residents said. A wave of attacks in the Delta, where many complain of poverty despite sitting on much of Nigeria's oil wealth, has cut oil output to 1.4 million barrels per day (MMbbl/d) from 2.2 MMbbl/d.

"It is not clear if it is connected to militant activities or ordinary vandals, or people paid by contractors to do so, so as to get repair contracts," said Eric Omare, a spokesman for the Ijaw Youth Council, an umbrella organization of youth groups in the southern region.

A spokesman for Eni said "sabotage" of the pipeline had affected 1 Mboe/d.

A group calling itself the Niger Delta Avengers, which says it wants a greater share of oil profits and independence for the swampy region, has claimed several attacks.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has extended a multimillion-dollar amnesty signed with militants in 2009, but upset them by ending generous pipeline protection contracts. He also cut the amnesty budget by about 70%, which partly funds training for unemployed people.