TROUBLE BEHIND, TROUBLE AHEAD FOR NIGERIAN OIL

Nigeria is keeping its good-faith efforts to bring Okah, aka Gbomo, back from Angola well-publicized so as to allay MEND’s threat of renewed violence against oil industry sites and personnel. Oil output interruptions and associated international oil price rises nevertheless remain imminent.

Nigerian Group MEND to Launch New Attacks in Niger Delta
September 24, 2007 (Xinhua News Agency via RigZone)
and
MEND denies involvement in death of Colombian
Ahamefula Ogbu. 29 September 2007 (All Africa)
and
Nigeria seeking extradition of suspected MEND leader from Angola
October 2, 2007 (AFP via Yahoo News)

WHO
Movement for the Emancipation of the Nigerian Delta (MEND), "Jomo Gbomo", spokesperson

click to enlarge

WHAT
MEND, a freedom fighters/terrorist group that has wrought havoc in the Nigerian oil regions for some years, announced it will discontinue its period of cease fire. It subsequently denied involvement in an attack on Italian oil service company Saipem in which a Colombian employee was killed and three others were kidnapped.

WHEN
Renewed acts of disruption, destruction, violence and abduction were to begin after midnight on September 23.

WHERE
The Niger River Delta is the hub of the Nigerian oil industry (see map).

WHY
- MEND’s leader, Henry Okah, was arrested in Angola earlier in September. MEND’s threat is seen as a way of demanding “fair” treatment for Okah.
- MEND’s denial of involvement in the attack on Saipem because the Nigerian government had demonstrated efforts to handle Okah fairly. Profit-seeking outlaw bands have been well-known to mimic MEND’s violent kidnappings.
- Okah was reportedly lured to Angola with the promise of a good deal on a fishing boat and then arrested.

Reportedly an image of Henry Okah, aka Jomo Gbomo, terrorist/freedom fighter. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Gbomo: "With effect from 12 midnight today, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007, we will commence attacks on installations and abduction of expatriates. There will be no forewarning of these attacks but a statement will follow soon after…"
- MEND: “Some faceless bodies or group [did the attack on Saipem]…MEND was not involved in that attack. Our statement announcing the resumption of hostilities might have emboldened the attackers who fear us more than the Nigerian military…"