afrol News, 19 May - Nigeria’s main militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta has ordered a blockade on key water channel for oil vessels in the Niger Delta to halt oil exports in the oil rich region.

The announcement of the blockade came just days after Nigeria’s military helicopter and gunboat raided MEND camps prompting rebels to declare war on military.

According to the MEND’s emailed statement, the group has ordered the blockade of key waterway channels to oil industry vessels both for the export of crude and gas and importation of refined petroleum products.

"This means vessels now ply such routes at their risk," MEND said in an e-mailed statement.

However, Nigerian forces in the Delta have discarded MEND’s order as mere threats vowing to protect all main oil companies in the region.

Local rights groups said thousands of villagers are trapped in the mangrove creeks of the Niger Delta as security forces continue their offensive against militants in the region. The main militant group accused government forces of genocide, but the military denies the accusation.

They further said the military's use of helicopter and gunboats has led to resistance by the rebels groups, urging the warring parties to allow humanitarian access to those displaced.

MEND had issued a deadline last week for oil companies to pull out of the Niger Delta.

MEND, which claims to be fighting for a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth for local people, last week said a group allied to it attacked two ships and captured the Filipino crew. It also said it had sabotaged two recently repaired oil pipelines at the weekend and vowed to destroy others.

The rebellion and violence in the delta has cut Nigeria's oil output by about a fifth since early 2006. A number of armed groups operate across the region, launching attacks on oil installations and pipelines, as well as abducting oil workers and local officials.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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