afrol News, 23 June - Nigerian militia responsible for vicious attacks on world's eighth largest oil exporter's lucrative industry as well as abduction of oil workers has declared a unilateral cease-fire starting tomorrow.

In a statement, the group, Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) said there would be no more attacks in Niger Delta region from midnight tomorrow, until "further notice."

The announcement marked what seemed to be an abrupt change of position for the group, which earlier this weekend, in an email entitled "Declaration of War", had told all foreign oil workers to leave Niger Delta while it settled its scores with the federal government.

It followed an appeal made by elders in the region to give peace and dialogue another chance.

"We are respecting an appeal by the Niger Delta elders to give peace and dialogue another chance," the statement said.

The group launched its first offensive on an offshore oil location last week, an attack which shocked the oil industry, as the sites were thought relatively secure. Prior to the attack, MEND had warned all foreign oil workers to leave the Niger Delta.

US oil giant Chevron had also halted onshore oil production at its Escravos oilfield, after an attack on pipeline, last week.

Bombing of oil pipelines and kidnapping of oil workers by MEND, mostly in the intricate creeks of the Niger Delta, have cut Nigeria's oil output by at least a fifth in recent years, driving world oil prices to record highs.

Nigeria's Oil Minister Odein Ajumogobia has said the country was producing around 1.8 million barrels per day before latest attacks, less than two thirds of its 3 million bpd, installed output capacity.

President Umaru Yar'Adua has ordered tighter security in Delta region, after attack on Shell installation at Bonga, 120km out to sea, which cut Nigerian production by 10 percent.

Mr Yar'Adua has ordered Nigerian troops to reinforce security in the delta and hunt down those behind attacks.

He has also pledged a two-pronged approach in dealing with the delta, promising to address under-development of the region, which lies at the root of the agitation, but also saying he will not tolerate presence of armed militants.

His government is planning to hold major summit of Niger Delta leaders, on a date yet to be announced, to address the issue.

The Nigerian military said militants blew up the Niger Delta pipeline, but Mend said it had been contacted by "youths" who had said they were behind the attack.

Mend reportedly said it wanted to secure more autonomy and control over resources for Niger Delta, but the conflict is now seen to be a complex web involving armed gangs, political corruption and criminal rackets.

Disruptions to Nigerian oil output caused by militant attacks have been a significant driver in the soaring worldwide price of oil, while at the same time deepening the country's creeps of poverty to the poor majority of the country.

By staff writer

© afrol News

Related pages and feature

Current afrol News Top Stories