| The militants behind a series of attacks on Nigerian oil facilities on Wednesday rejected an offer from President Olusegun Obasanjo to launch a major development plan in the restive Niger Delta. Instead, they threatened to renew attacks.
The President had on Tuesday unveiled a multi-million dollar initiative to create 20,000 jobs and build infrastructure in the region. Obasanjo who met with politicians, business leaders, and traditional rulers from the region also pledged to drill hundreds of wells and build a $1.75billion (1.4billion euro) highway. The package was a bid to quiet separatist voices and bring peace to Africa�s biggest oil export industry. But the self-styled Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta � whose guerrilla attacks this year, have cut Nigerian oil exports by around a quarter � dismissed the plan and threatened a rapid return to violence. The militants� position was contained in an e-mail to the Agence France Presse. They said, �We wish to restate our warnings to oil companies still operating in the Niger Delta, and more especially workers of such companies, to leave while they can. �Our halt in attacks was more of a tactical suspension which has come to its end. �At a time of our choice, we will resume attacks with greater devastation and no compassion on those who choose to disregard our warnings.� This year, separatist rebels fighting under MEND�s banner have killed at least 24 members of the Nigerian security forces. They also kidnapped and released 13 foreign oil workers and blown up some major oil pipelines. Despite being the heartland of a massive oil industry, exporting almost 2.6 million barrels per day, the Niger Delta is wracked by poverty. In recent years, resentment against the government and oil multinationals has increased. The militants, in a typically toughly-worded statement, predicted that the promised development projects would serve only to enrich Nigeria�s corrupt elite. They repeated their demand for local control of all oil revenues. They added, �We do not need any further mismanagement of the fast diminishing resources of our land by the award of bogus contracts intended to channel the wealth of the Niger Delta back to the hands of those who have looted … all these years.� MEND�s warning will increase pressure on international oil prices, which have hit record highs, in excess of $70 per barrel, in recent days amid fears of US action against Iran and further disruption to Nigerian exports. |
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Apr202006