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Nigerian armed group to end hostilities if leader freed
LAGOS
Petroleumworld.com, Jan 14, 2008The most prominent armed group in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta promised a ceasefire Sunday if one of its senior leaders -- detained in Angola on an extradition request from Nigeria -- is released.
"The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta remains solidly behind Comrade Henry Okah," it said in an e-mail to AFP in Lagos.
"The day of his release is the date a new ceasefire paving the way for dialogue will commence with immediate effect."
MEND accused Nigeria, Angola and South Africa of frustrating freedom for Okah, who was arrested in September at Luanda airport while trying to board a flight to South Africa, where he is believed to have a permanent home.
"We want to make it very clear that should any danger come to our comrade, Henry Okah, we will hold the governments of South Africa, Nigeria and Angola responsible," the group said.
"Nothing must happen to him. We call on the United Nations and all concerned to expedite his immediate release."
Okah, alias Jomo Gbomo, is believed to be the spokesman of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta.
In recent weeks, the Movement has stepped up attacks on oil and security installations in Nigeria, Africa's biggest crude producer and the world's eighth largest oil exporter.
On Friday it claimed responsibility for a fire aboard a tanker berthed in Port Harcourt, the main oil hub in the West African country, saying it had been ignited by "Freelance Freedom Fighters working inside the oil industry".
Nigeria's presidency announced November 21 that Angolan President Eduardo dos Santos had agreed to extradite Okah to stand trial for alleged arms trafficking, once legal hurdles are resolved.
The two countries lack an extradition treaty that would facilitate the process.
But Okah's lawyer has appealed to the Angolan authorities to apply caution before sending his client to Nigeria, where it is feared he could face the death penalty.
Since the beginning of 2006, attacks by militants in the Niger Delta region have slashed Nigeria's oil production by 25 percent. At peak levels, the country can pump around 2.6 million barrels per day.
joa/rom
Story from AFP
AFP 13 1030 GMT 01 08
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