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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Nigerian group 'to end ceasefire' | Nigerian group 'to end ceasefire' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A Nigerian militant group has said it will call off a ceasefire following a UK offer to help quell violence in the oil-rich Delta. | A Nigerian militant group has said it will call off a ceasefire following a UK offer to help quell violence in the oil-rich Delta. |
| The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) said it would end its two-week ceasefire on Saturday. | The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) said it would end its two-week ceasefire on Saturday. |
| British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told journalists at the G8 summit in Japan the UK would help Nigeria "deal with lawlessness" in the region. | British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told journalists at the G8 summit in Japan the UK would help Nigeria "deal with lawlessness" in the region. |
| A Mend spokesman said UK interests would "suffer the consequences". | A Mend spokesman said UK interests would "suffer the consequences". |
| Mr Brown did not give any details about what sort of aid the UK would be giving to Nigeria, but BBC correspondents say it is unlikely to be military support. | Mr Brown did not give any details about what sort of aid the UK would be giving to Nigeria, but BBC correspondents say it is unlikely to be military support. |
| Mend has been behind a series of high profile attacks on oil installations and kidnaps of expatriate oil workers. | Mend has been behind a series of high profile attacks on oil installations and kidnaps of expatriate oil workers. |
| Nigeria's production has been cut by about a quarter, partly because of militant activity. Should Gordon Brown make good his threat to support this criminality for the sake of oil, UK citizens and interests in Nigeria will suffer the consequences Jomo Gbomo, Mend spokesman Elusive peace in oil Delta | Nigeria's production has been cut by about a quarter, partly because of militant activity. Should Gordon Brown make good his threat to support this criminality for the sake of oil, UK citizens and interests in Nigeria will suffer the consequences Jomo Gbomo, Mend spokesman Elusive peace in oil Delta |
| The last attack was on the Bonga oilfield, a floating oil and gas installation 120km (75miles) offshore that was previously thought out of reach and was targeted in June. | The last attack was on the Bonga oilfield, a floating oil and gas installation 120km (75miles) offshore that was previously thought out of reach and was targeted in June. |
| The government wants to organise a giant peace summit to try to resolve the region's problems. | The government wants to organise a giant peace summit to try to resolve the region's problems. |
| But the government's choice of mediator was condemned by Delta activists, and has stepped down from the job. | |
| UN Under-Secretary-General Ibrahim Gambari came under pressure to quit because of his role in supporting the execution of Delta activist Ken Saro Wiwa in 1995. | |
| Loose coalition | Loose coalition |
| Civil society activists in the Delta say the Mend is not one stable organisation, but a loose coalition of militant groups with different leaders that are based in a number of camps across the Delta. | Civil society activists in the Delta say the Mend is not one stable organisation, but a loose coalition of militant groups with different leaders that are based in a number of camps across the Delta. |
| They say that some factions are coming under pressure to maintain a ceasefire from political sponsors, while others are regrouping and re-arming. | They say that some factions are coming under pressure to maintain a ceasefire from political sponsors, while others are regrouping and re-arming. |
| One of their leaders, Henry Okah, is currently being tried in secret for treason and gun running. | One of their leaders, Henry Okah, is currently being tried in secret for treason and gun running. |
| Other militant groups in the region operate as "freelance bandits" who use piracy, kidnapping and extortion to fund their operations, activists say. | Other militant groups in the region operate as "freelance bandits" who use piracy, kidnapping and extortion to fund their operations, activists say. |
| This week President Umar Yar'Adua called for help to crack a crude oil smuggling cartel that he says is fuelling the conflict in the delta. | This week President Umar Yar'Adua called for help to crack a crude oil smuggling cartel that he says is fuelling the conflict in the delta. |
| Mr Brown promised to help ahead of a more detailed meeting in London next week. | Mr Brown promised to help ahead of a more detailed meeting in London next week. |
| "We stand ready to give help to the Nigerians to deal with lawlessness that exists in this area and to achieve the levels of production that Nigeria is capable of, but because of the law and order problems has not been able to achieve," Mr Brown said. | "We stand ready to give help to the Nigerians to deal with lawlessness that exists in this area and to achieve the levels of production that Nigeria is capable of, but because of the law and order problems has not been able to achieve," Mr Brown said. |
| But in an e-mail to journalists Mend spokesman Jomo Gbomo said the UK was "part of the problem". | But in an e-mail to journalists Mend spokesman Jomo Gbomo said the UK was "part of the problem". |
| The Delta has been the victim of "five decades of exploitation" that has seen other regions of the country benefit over them, the e-mail said. | The Delta has been the victim of "five decades of exploitation" that has seen other regions of the country benefit over them, the e-mail said. |
| "Should Gordon Brown make good his threat to support this criminality for the sake of oil, UK citizens and interests in Nigeria will suffer the consequences," Mend said. | "Should Gordon Brown make good his threat to support this criminality for the sake of oil, UK citizens and interests in Nigeria will suffer the consequences," Mend said. |