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News Report: Nigeria's Oil Militant Group Cease Fire

Niger Delta Militants

Indications are that Nigeria's Oil militant group who rejected amnesty have ceased fire following clampdown by security forces, chidi opara reports investigation have revealed.

Following the October 1st 2010 bombing in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city in which the Movement For The Emancipation Of Niger Delta(MEND) claimed responsibility, the Nigerian Police arrested persons alleged to have perpetrated the bombing and declared others wanted. A suspected financier of MEND, Mr. Henry Okah was arrested and charged to court in his South African base. Okah's younger brother, Mr. Charles Okah have also been indicted by Nigeria's State Security Service(SSS). He will appear in court soon.

Apart from security clampdown, chidi opara reports also discovered that some loyalists of the Nigerian President, acting through an official of the Embassy of United States Of America(USA) in Abuja have been trying to link MEND's activities to the Al Queda network using a news blog published by a USA based Nigerian. The motive, we were informed is to enlist support of the International community in the current clampdown.

MEND, this week, in an e-mail to the Media said that it would henceforth limit its online interactions to alerts and claims of responsibility. The militant group cited security concerns as reason for this decision.

chidi opara reports' checks also revealed that MEND's operatives recruited and trained after the amnesty programme in which most of the organization's operatives surrendered have been pulled off streets of major cities in Nigeria. Unconfirmed information has it that they are hidding in the creeks of Ghana and Equatorial Guinea. "There could still be a few operations by MEND's mercenaries", a security contact cautioned.

Meanwhile, Presidency insiders told chidi opara reports that Henry Okah is still considered as the only voice that can calm the present situation. As one insider put it "Okah is the only known face of MEND". "A deal with the man is still a possibility", another insider assured.