Nigerian militants say to resume oil attacks soon

LAGOS (Reuters) – Oil unions threatened to withdraw from Nigeria’s delta on Friday if security worsened as local militants hardened their rhetoric, vowing to resume attacks and execute three foreign hostages if another one died.

The militants, whose violent campaign has driven oil prices to a four-month high, are demanding the release of two Ijaw ethnic leaders, compensation for oil pollution and more local control over the delta’s enormous oil wealth.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said they would not stop their raids, which have crippled a tenth of Nigeria’s oil production, even if oil major Shell paid the $1.5 billion they say it owes delta villages for years of pollution.

“When this is done we will still not halt our attacks but concentrate less on Shell and spread our attacks evenly between the companies operating in Nigeria,” said an email from the group.

Reuters