afrol News, 18 February - US President George Bush has been invited to help diffuse the dispute between the Nigerian government and its militant groups in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

In an open letter to President Bush, a faction of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) loyal to Henry Okah said since the US receives a large proportion ofcrude oil from the troubled region, it behoves on the country's leader to bring both the government and militant groups to make peace.

Since his extradition from Angola to Nigeria last week, Okah's whereabouts are yet to be known. The group's officials believed that Okah might be kept in a secret location in Northern Nigeria.

Okah, who founded MEND, was arrested in Angola some months ago on arms trafficking charges. MEND demanded his immediate release.

Nigerian militants used President Bush's five-nation tour in Africa an a great opportunity to lodge their complaints. The tour, which takes him to Ghana, Rwanda, Benin and Liberia, excluded Nigeria.

Two years ago, MEND attracted national and international attention after it had succeeded in cutting Nigerian oil production by a quarter.

MEND is so far the only Niger Delta militant group that has abandoned the government's conditions for a ceasefire. Other groups have accepted incentives in exchange of ending troubles in the oil-rich region.

Nigerian government had appealed oil companies that had fled Niger Delta mainly because of insecurity to return to business.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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