Lagos
23 June 2008
The most prominent militant group operating in the Niger Delta hascalled for a ceasefire - and says it is stopping attacks targetingNigeria's multi-billion dollar oil industry. The announcement marks areversal for the group, which last week warned oil workers to leave theregion for their own safety, after an attack on an offshore oilfacility. Sarah Simpson reports for VOA from Lagos.
The groupcalled the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has calledfor a ceasefire, ending its attacks in Nigeria's oil-rich southeffective from 12:01 am, Wednesday. MEND says it called the ceasefireafter an appeal for peace from members of the Niger Delta community.
In a statement issued to journalists late Sunday, MEND says it is taking the action to "give peace and dialogue another chance."
Theceasefire is a reversal for the group, which last week staged an attackon an offshore oil facility operated by Royal Dutch Shell. That attackforced about a 10 percent cut in Nigerian oil production.
Following that attack, MEND issued a statement warning oil workers to leave the area for their own safety.
MENDis responsible for the bulk of attacks in the region in the past twoyears, including blowing up oil pipelines and kidnapping foreignworkers. These attacks have slashed Nigeria's oil output at a time ofrecord-high oil prices and booming global demand for crude.
Nigeria has been Africa's biggest crude exporter and sells about half its oil to the United States.
Militant attacks have forced Nigeria to operate significantly below capacity, shutting down at least a quarter of production.
Instability in Nigeria has helped push oil to record highs - about double the price of a year ago.