Dehab Ghebreab, outgoing United States Deputy Consul-General in Lagos, has urged militants in the oil-rich Niger Delta region to cease attacks on oil facilities.

Ghebreab said that militants should address their grievances with the government, instead of bombing facilities.

“We strongly believe that it is important that Niger-Delta youths engage in meaningful dialogue with the government, for government to know their grievances,” Ghebreab said.

“During this dialogue, it would become easier for the government to know what the issues really are and be able to solve them,” she said.

Ghebreab’s comments came as attacks by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) considerably affected the country’s oil industry, which accounts for more than 70 percent of government revenues.

Earlier in June, oil production dropped to 1.4 million barrels per day, from 2.2m bpd.

Latest estimates by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said that production increased to 1.9million barrels as the region has not experienced attacks in the past two weeks.