LAGOS, Nigeria – The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), a militant group in Nigeria’s oil-rich Delta region called off a ceasefire on Sunday and promised a fresh campaign of violence and kidnappings of oil workers. A voluntary ceasefire had been agreed to in May following the inauguration of President Umaru Yar’Adua. The calling off of the ceasefire is in response to the arrest of one of their leaders by Nigerian authorities and claims that the talks have failed.
The Niger Delta holds all of Nigeria’s oil, and is responsible for 95% of hard currency earnings, although most of the people of the Delta live in poverty. Corrupt officials take millions of dollars meant for basic services and development, and many are accused by civil rights groups of having involvement in the trade of crude oil stolen from pipelines across the region. President Yar’Adua ordered an investigation last week into the alleged links between government officials in the Niger Delta and the violent criminal gangs.
For more information, please see:
BBC News – Nigerian Militants Call off Truce – 24 September 2007
USA Today – Nigerian militants vow further attacks – 23 September 2007
Reuters – Nigerian oil rebels threaten attacks after arrest – 23 September 2007
