Nigeria Rebels Declare 'Oil War'

A naval officer assembles his machine gun before starting to patrol the restive oil-rich Niger Delta region. The most prominent militant group in oil-rich southern Nigeria, MEND, said it had declared an "oil war" and threatened all international industry vessels that approach the region. (AFP/File/Pius Otomi Ekpei)

Militants Says Clashes With Nigerian Army Mean War
-- Yahoo News/AP

LAGOS, Nigeria - The main militant group in Nigeria's southern oil region declared a state of war Sunday after two days of clashes with government forces, launching reprisal raids and raising the specter of more conflict in Africa's biggest oil producer.

The group warned international oil companies to avoid the region or take "a foolhardy risk of attack."

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has mostly focused on hobbling Nigeria's oil industry since it emerged nearly three years ago, bombing pipelines in hopes of forcing the federal government to send more money to the impoverished oil-producing south.

But a military task force involving marine, land and air forces have stepped up their anti-militant activities in recent weeks. On Sunday, militants said they attacked soldiers protecting sites run by Chevron Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell — payback for a rare ground battle Saturday when the armed forces attacked a militant base camp.

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More News On Nigeria Oil Unrest

Militant group in Nigeria 'declares war on oil industry' -- Yahoo News/AFP
Nigeria rebels declare 'oil war' -- CNN
Nigerian militants threaten tankers, pipelines in 'oil war' -- Calgary Herald
Militants says clashes with Nigerian army mean war -- International Herald Tribune
Nigeria militants warn of oil war -- BBC
Chevron confirms attack on Nigeria oil platform -- Reuters Alert
Chevron confirms shooting incident at Nigeria facility -- Africaisia
From Boom to Bust in Nigeria -- Washington Post

My Comment: Angola exports more oil than Nigeria now, in fact Nigerian oil exports are at a quarter from what they were a year ago. Violence, crime, grinding poverty, a complete collapse of law and order, ethnic hatreds that are now coming to a boil .... the promise of the boom that Nigeria was to receive from its oil exports have vanished, and the Nigerians have no one to blame but themselves.