Armed militants from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta. There was a bomb explosion in Warri on March 15, 2010.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
WARRI, Nigeria (AFP) – Two explosions rocked the southern Nigerian oil city of Warri on Monday during talks on an amnesty for former rebel fighters in the oil-rich Niger Delta, a government official said.
One device went off and after some few minutes another one was heard near the main hall where the event was taking place, sending large plumes of smoke into the air. It was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured.
"There were car bombs, two of them. The first one exploded just as the governors came in and the second one was about 30 minutes later," Delta State government spokesman Linus Chima to AFP.
"I think the intention is obvious, just to scuttle the talks and make it seem as if Warri in Delta state is not safe," he added.
The blasts shattered windows, people were running, and the governors were rushed out of the conference room to their cars, an AFP reporter at the scene said.
Soldiers were ordering everyone to evacuate the building.
The blasts went off moments after the region's main armed group MEND threatened to detonate three devices it had planted near the venue.
Several hundred top officials and community leaders had gathered at the ceremony. At least four governors and the federal minister in charge of the region, Ufot Ekaette, were attending the ceremony organised by the independent newspaper Vanguard.
Explosions hit Nigeria oil talks
Two suspected car bombs have been set off in the Nigerian oil city of Warri, where officials were in talks over an amnesty for militants in the area.
Witnesses said the explosions shattered windows at the state governor's office and sent officials fleeing for cover.
The militant group Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) had issued a bomb threat earlier.
Several armed groups recently agreed to an amnesty, but some Mend leaders rejected the government's offer.
A Mend leader announced in January that a temporary ceasefire was over.
Fair share?
In Warri, witnesses reported seeing huge plumes of smoke rising into the air.
There were no reports of injuries.
"There were car bombs - two of them," Delta State government spokesman Linus Chima told AFP news agency.
"The first one exploded just as the governors came in and the second one was about 30 minutes later."
"I think the intention is obvious, just to scuttle the talks and make it seem as if Warri in Delta State is not safe."
The BBC's Caroline Duffield in Lagos says the suspected use of car bombs is a significant change in tactics from Mend.
She says it is not clear how many of the group's top commanders are behind this attack. Until recently, many were insisting that despite all their frustration, they wanted to pursue the amnesty process.
For years, armed groups have caused havoc in the oil-rich Niger Delta, abducting oil workers and sabotaging pipelines.
They claim they are fighting for a fairer share of oil wealth for local people.
But their critics say they use the money they get from illegal oil sales and ransoms to buy weapons and fund more militant activities.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/8567876.stm
Published: 2010/03/15 13:06:13 GMT
No comments:
Post a Comment