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March 08, 2006
Nigeria Delta general moved out
The general leading Nigeria's fight against rebels in the oil producing Niger Delta has been replaced.
Removing Brigadier General Elias Zamani had been one of the demands of the militant group still holding three foreign oil workers hostage.
However, an army spokesman said the general's redeployment was "routine".
The militants want a greater share of the region's oil wealth for local Ijaw people. Their attacks have led to a 20% drop in Nigeria's oil exports.
Six hostages were released last week but two US citizens and one Briton remain in captivity.
They are employees of US oil services company Willbros, seized while laying a pipeline for oil giant Shell.
But the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) said that the remaining captives would be held until the group's demands were met.
They have also vowed to increase attacks on oil installations such as pipelines.
The militants said they wanted a pledge from the government that it would not launch reprisal attacks and said it should release two prominent local leaders, the BBC's Alex Last in Warri reports.
The militants also demanded that the Shell comply with a recent Nigerian court order and pay $1.5bn (£858m) in compensation for pollution in the Niger Delta, our correspondent says.
Posted by Publisher at March 8, 2006 09:27 AM
Comments
On the issue of this criss, Nigeria gov. are to blame because those oil compenies paid the charge they ask to pay but those charges was mismanaged by corrupt politicians under Nig. goverment. thx.
Posted by: Richy at March 8, 2006 04:41 PM
On the issue of this hostage criss, Nigeria gov. are to blame because those oil compenies paid the charge they ask to pay but those charges was mismanaged by corrupt politicians under Nig. goverment without mind if people in Nigerians are dying for stavation. for exaple go to those foriegn oil compinies country you will see how beutiful it is, even they dont normaly alow Nigeria person to enter thier country exept those corrupt politicians, so why not build Nigeria to look like those countries. so i think those people the goverment called rabel are correct for what the did because, for example if you push somebody agaist the wall the person must do anything life or death to get himself out of wall so they are fithing for thier life. thanks.
Posted by: Richy at March 8, 2006 05:13 PM
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