Two explosions near the state governor's office shook Nigeria's southern oil city of Warri on Monday during amnesty talks, minutes after a bomb threat from the region's main militant group, witnesses said.
 
The Movement for the Niger Delta (MEND) said in an emailed statement it had planted three explosive devices in and around Delta State Government House in Warri. Witnesses said the first explosion happened opposite the compound, the second at the gates of the building.
 
No casualties were reported following the attacks.

In the e-mail to international press organisations including Radio Netherlands Worldwide, received on Monday, MEND had advised the evacuation of a primary school located near the local government house in Warri, where the ceremony was taking place.
 
The movement threatens to "carry out a number of attacks against installations and oil companies across the Niger Delta and will spread out to companies such as Total which have been spared in the past" in coming days.

In September 2009, MEND, which has a history of attacks against oil installations in the region, had rejected the Nigerian government's amnesty offer. However, other rebel groups and former MEND militants had accepted to surrender their arms. The region had remained relatively quiet in recent months.

"The deceit of endless dialogue and conferences will no longer be tolerated", MEND writes.