Mysterious as it is, the group has proved a menace to production in the Niger Delta region, recalling the havoc that the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) wreaked less than a decade ago. The Niger Delta Avengers have demonstrated a level of prowess, executing well-planned attacks on strategic targets. For example, the explosion at Chevron's offshore facility, a major hub, forced the company to suspend 90,000 barrels per day in oil production. Meanwhile, Royal Dutch/Shell's Forcados pipeline has been out of commission since the Niger Delta Avengers assaulted the facility Feb. 14. During that attack, the militants apparently detonated explosives under water to damage the pipeline, perhaps employing divers. Repairing the pipeline has been a long and involved undertaking. On May 12, the group issued a two-week ultimatum, promising further strikes if Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari did not accede to its political demands.