Lagos (Fides Service)- The leader of a Nigerian rebel group which threaten to sabotage oil production in Niger Delta is in Abuja, capital of Nigeria, for talks with the government.
Mujahid Dokubo Asari, leader “Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force”, arrived in Abuja today 29 September after telling the government he would sabotage oil production unless it started negotiations with representatives of the Ijaw by October 1. Asari wants the Ijaws to benefit more from Nigeria's oil wealth. The threat was seen as one reason why world oil prices hit record highs of $50 a barrel this week.
The Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force are Ijaws a people which lives in 6 states in Niger Delta: Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom. Some 14 million Ijaw form the largest ethnic group in the region and the fourth largest ethnic group in all Nigeria. The Ijaw are mainly animist or Christian.
Since 1958, when British, French American and Italian companies began producing oil in the region, the Ijaw have fought for the right to have part of the profits and compensation for environment damage caused by oil installations. Several groups are involved in the struggle besides the “Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force”, Egbesu Boys of Bayelsa, the Chicoco Movement, the Ijaw Youth Council and Niger Delta Ijaw federate communities. These dissident groups spawned gangs of criminals involved in hostage taking, robberies, sabotage, extortion. These gangs of criminals are responsible for stealing oil by perforating pipelines and filling trucks. This practice has caused several explosion in which hundreds were killed and injured.
Therefore Niger Delta region is as unstable and volatile as its vast oil resources. Back in 1998, the Egbesu Boys threatened actions of sabotage and announced ‘Kaiama Declaration 11 December 1998’ ultimatum. “I don’t see why the international press continues to say that threats by Dokubo Asari are one reason for the high oil prices” a local source in southern Nigeria told Fides. “I think they are blaming the last link of a very long chain, seeing that oil prices are determined by international markets in which the speculative component is the boss”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 29/9/2004 righe 34 parole 439)