Nigeria's main militant group has indefinitely suspended attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta to allow peace talks with the government.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has conducted a long-running campaign of sabotage, cutting the West African nation's oil production by more than 20 per cent since early 2006 and helping drive up oil prices globally.

"To encourage the process of dialogue between the government and the team that MEND has selected to negotiate its demands for a lasting peace in the Niger Delta region, an indefinite cease-fire has been ordered," MEND spokesman Jomo Gbomo said in a statement e-mailed Sunday.

But a MEND faction led by Henry Okah - a militant who was released this year as part of the amnesty - had vowed to continue fighting, accusing the government of not being serious in its promises to
address the root causes of the conflict.

However, Okah met Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua Tuesday, and Gbomo said the government had shown it was ready to "engage in serious and meaningful dialogue with every group or individual
towards achieving a lasting peace in the Niger Delta."

Militants operating in the delta said they were fighting for a larger share of the oil wealth for local residents, who complain the oil industry has ruined their agriculture and fishing livelihoods.

However, illegal bunkering - the practice of tapping into oil pipelines and selling the crude on the black market - helped keep the conflict alive.

The government has now promised to bring millions of dollars into the region to help bring people out of poverty.

Rehabilitation

Many of MEND's commanders and rank-and-file troops already have taken advantage of a government amnesty to lay down their arms over the past few months.

Defence Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Committee on the Amnesty Programme, Major-General Godwin Abbe said  the amnesty committee would soon approach the United Nations (UN) over the programme particularly with regards to the need for stiffer sanctions against illegal oil bunkering. The federal Government also expects the cooperation from the diplomats, he added.

The number of ex-militants who have surrendered their arms and ammunition is estimated by the Presidential Committee at 15, 260. The figure of all true militants in the Niger Delta is estimated at 17,000.

The minister said two rehabilitation centres in Aluu, Rivers State and Agbarho, Delta State are fully ready to be occupied.

"Both rehabilitation centres have capacity for 3, 000. In the face of accommodation problem - it is intended that ex-militants will be rehabilitated in batches. The rehabilitation will last for a period of about four weeks for each batch and will entail reorientation, counseling and moral and spiritual regeneration of the ex-militants," he said.

In preparation for the training of the ex-militants, he said a survey of the need of the youths in the Niger Delta region was conducted by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

According to Abbe the results indicate that the youths are interested in about 10 sectors, ranging from oil and gas to maritime services. Abbe declared that  the relevant training institutions have been identified and confirmatory visits to the institutions have been undertaken.

source: AFP/allAfrica.com

photo: EPA/George Esiri