Fighters with the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) raise their riffles to celebrate news of a successful operation by their colleagues against the Nigerian army in the Niger Delta on September 17, 2008. MEND has declared a full-scale ‘oil war’ against the Nigerian authorities in response to attacks by the Nigerian military launched against the militants. ‘Our target is to crumble the oil installations in order to force the government to a round table to solve the problem once and for all’, said Boy Loaf, leader of the militantsPORT HARCOURT, Nigeria May 9 (Reuters) – Gunmen killed four Nigerian policemen in the oil-producing southern Niger Delta on Monday, police said.
He said it was unclear who was behind the attack.
Attacks on oil pipelines and kidnappings have been rising in the Delta, which produces much of Nigeria’s oil output, since authorities issued an arrest warrant in January for a former militant leader on corruption charges.
Residents have been long demanding a greater share of oil revenues. Crude oil sales account for around 70 percent of national income in Nigeria but there has not been much development in the poor Delta swampland.
President Muhammadu Buhari has extended a multi-million dollar amnesty signed with militants in 2009 to stop them attacking oil facilities but upset them by ending generous pipeline protection contracts.