Militant groups from Nigeria's Niger delta have stepped up their attacks against oil companies. According to news agency Reuters they are sabotaging pipe lines on a nearly daily basis. Radio Netherlands had an exclusive interview with MEND, the most prominent militant group, about the latest attacks. "The violence is specifically targeted at the source and the source is the oil industry", a spokesperson said.

reporting contributed by Alberta Opoku
 
Since the latest offensive, oil giants Shell, Agip and Chevron have cut down output substantially. But the militants are responding with more violent attacks. The latest attacks were against major Shell and Agip crude trunk lines in Bayelsa state, according to a statement signed by MEND on Wednesday.
 
But a spokesman for Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell said: "The latest attack was on a Nembe creek pipeline. A ground team has been sent to undertake an assessment of the line but the section that has been reportedly targeted has not been in production for some time, so there has not been any disruption to supply."
 
Elusive
The normally elusive group MEND, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, agreed to an exclusive interview by Radio Netherlands Africa on their violent tactics. Radio Netherlands Africa contacted MEND's usual 'pseudonym' Jomo Gbomo who then put us in touch with 'Tom'.  
 
Asked why MEND engages in violence, 'Tom' answered:

"We know that the average African, the average despot, the average dictator in Africa, cannot just use dialogue. It won't work. Take Mobutu Sese Seko or Omar Bongo, those people don't understand dialogue. So we need to combine dialogue with very firm action. (...) the average black man does not understand non-violence. I'm not trying to run down my own people, I'm a black man myself, but it's our nature."
 
'Security services'
Nonetheless the group have been accused of engaging in lucrative kidnappings and oil bunkering to finance its activities. MEND admits that it also receives money from oil companies for 'security services'. Tom:  

"The oil companies themselves pay for some form of security for watching over their pipes, so we are security consultants, but we are not really committed to them. And also we have steady funds from governments to try to appease us to maintain the peace."

In an attempt to end the unrest Nigeria president Umaru Yar'Adua offered a 60-day amnesty to militants and criminals in the Niger Delta starting from 6 August. But MEND not only rejected the amnesty offer, they increased the violence attacks. MEND's objective is to destroy the country's petroleum industry, as a means to emancipate the people of Nigeria's oil rich Niger Delta region who have not benefited from huge oil revenues.
 
Godfearing
So why does MEND resort to violence in achieving such noble a goal? According to Tom, MEND would be willing to take part in talks with the government, on certain conditions: the introduction of 'fiscal federalism', talks through an international mediator (such as Kofi Annan or Cyril Ramaphosa), and the release of their jailed leader Henry Okah.

"You know our type of violent action is not an Al-Qaeda type of violence where people blow up themselves in the market place with innocent children and civilians. Many of us are God-fearing people, we go to church and to the Mosque. We believe in God. Our type of violence is specifically targeted at the source and the source is the oil industry."

A member of MEND explains the rebel group's aims: