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Nigeria probes Delta gang links | Nigeria probes Delta gang links |
(20 minutes later) | |
The Nigerian president has ordered an investigation into alleged links between government officials in the Niger Delta and violent criminal gangs. | The Nigerian president has ordered an investigation into alleged links between government officials in the Niger Delta and violent criminal gangs. |
Rivers State officials - including the Deputy Governor - are accused of being secretly in control of the gangs. | Rivers State officials - including the Deputy Governor - are accused of being secretly in control of the gangs. |
Turf wars between rival gangs in the state capital, Port Harcourt, last month left around 40 people dead. | Turf wars between rival gangs in the state capital, Port Harcourt, last month left around 40 people dead. |
The city has been under night curfew since 17 August and last week the army sent in troops and helicopter gunships. | The city has been under night curfew since 17 August and last week the army sent in troops and helicopter gunships. |
Leaders of the Delta's ethnic Ijaw residents met President Yar'Adua to spell out their complaints about the links between the gangs, or "cults", and named senior politicians. | Leaders of the Delta's ethnic Ijaw residents met President Yar'Adua to spell out their complaints about the links between the gangs, or "cults", and named senior politicians. |
The president asked them to fully document their allegations and promised that corrupt officials would be brought to justice. | The president asked them to fully document their allegations and promised that corrupt officials would be brought to justice. |
Election promise | Election promise |
On his election in April, President Yar'Adua promised to tackle escalating crime in the Delta. The army operation launched last week is seen as part of a new policy to crush the region's powerful armed gangs and impose law and order. | On his election in April, President Yar'Adua promised to tackle escalating crime in the Delta. The army operation launched last week is seen as part of a new policy to crush the region's powerful armed gangs and impose law and order. |
Yar'Adua elected on pledge to bring corrupt officials to justice | |
But civil rights activists say it is an open secret that politicians and gangs have had a long, close relationship, with politicians paying the criminals to rig elections and intimidate opponents. | But civil rights activists say it is an open secret that politicians and gangs have had a long, close relationship, with politicians paying the criminals to rig elections and intimidate opponents. |
They say if the government is serious about destroying the gangs, it will also have to go after their political sponsors - and that could prove an embarassment to the ruling party. | They say if the government is serious about destroying the gangs, it will also have to go after their political sponsors - and that could prove an embarassment to the ruling party. |
Security in the Delta, which produces all of Nigeria's 2m barrels of oil per day, deteriorated markedly in early 2006. | Security in the Delta, which produces all of Nigeria's 2m barrels of oil per day, deteriorated markedly in early 2006. |
Militants demanding more local control of oil revenues started blowing up pipelines and abducting foreign oil workers. | Militants demanding more local control of oil revenues started blowing up pipelines and abducting foreign oil workers. |
Nigeria lost an estimated fifth of its oil output, a loss that contributed to spikes in world oil prices. | Nigeria lost an estimated fifth of its oil output, a loss that contributed to spikes in world oil prices. |
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