afrol News, 15 July - Nigeria’s main militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has declared a 60-day truce today following the release of the group’s leader Henry Okah earlier this week.

According to an emailed statement, the group said it was halting its attacks on all oil installations to engage government in the peace talks.

"Effective, 0000 Hrs, Wednesday, 15 July 2009, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) will be observing a temporary cease-fire for a 60 day period," Jomo Gbomo, the group's spokesman, said in a statement.

MEND said it will delegate a group of men and women who will negotiate with the government on the group’s demands before it could accept amnesty from the government.

Mr Gbomo said the induction to the peace talks with the government, is a the withdrawal of the military joint task forces from the Gbaramatu communities and the return of all the displaced persons back to their various homes.

"Hopefully, the cease-fire period will create an enabling environment for progressive dialogue," he said.

On Sunday, just hours before Mr Okah was released by the government, MEND fighters killed five oil workers in an attack on an oil tanker wharf in Lagos, advancing its offensive on government.

MEND says it is fighting for greater autonomy for the Niger Delta and a fairer distribution of its oil wealth.

State-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said that the monthly oil revenue this year has dropped to around $1bn from an average of $2.2bn in 2008.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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