Nigeria warns militants against attack on oil workers, facilities

Nigeria warns militants against attack on oil workers, facilities

Lagos (Platts)--9Jun2009

Nigeria's Joint Task Force Tuesday warned militants that any attack on
oil workers or installations following the passing of a deadline to get out of
the Niger Delta would be seen as a declaration of war on the country.




"We are repeating it for the umpteenth time that MEND (The movement for
the emancipation of the Niger Delta) or any other militant group or individual
issuing such a threat is not patriotic and an enemy of the country," JTF
spokesman Colonel Rabe Abubakar told Platts. "No government or military will
fold his arms and allow such [a situation]."

"That threat...is like declaring war on the country and I want to tell
you that the JTF is up to the task," said Abubakar. "What [military offensive]
we have done so far is just a minor operation."

A massive offensive against militants since May 14 has seen Nigeria
regain control of the Delta, the JFT said last Wednesday.

MEND Saturday warned oil workers in the oil-rich Niger Delta to leave
within 72 hours to avoid an "imminent attack."

MEND whose attacks were responsible for the loss of more than a quarter
of Nigeria's oil production, said its "Hurricane Piper Alpha" attack would not
discriminate on tribe, nationality, or race when it is launched across the
region.

MEND had last week rejected a fresh amnesty offer made on May 29 by
President Umaru Yar'Adua and insisted that only the restructuring in the
allocation of oil revenues would make militants lay down their arms.

Officials of most western oil companies said they were taking necessary
measures to ensure security of personnel and equipment.

But the JTS spokesman said both local and foreign workers should not
entertain fear.

"I will just advise workers, whether oil or construction workers, to be
wary of where they go and should contact the JTF or any security agencies once
they suspect any suspicious movement around them," said Abubakar.

The delta unrest has reduced Nigeria's daily output to around 1.7 million
b/d, compared with 2.6 million b/d in January 2006.

Also, the presidential steering committee on the national integrated
power projects, said the ongoing crisis in the oil rich Niger Delta remained a
major challenge in meeting the government's target of achieving 6,000 MW by
year end, the Guardian newspaper reported Tuesday.