Nigerian militants end ceasefire, threaten attacks

By Randy Fabi

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's main militant group ended its three-month old ceasefire on Friday and threatened to resume attacks against Africa's biggest oil and gas industry.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) halted its attacks in Nigeria's oil-producing southern region in July. It has since been severely weakened after top leaders and thousands of militants accepted an amnesty and disarmed.

The umbrella militant group said last week it would announce a resumption of attacks which for the past three years have stopped Nigeria pumping much above two-thirds of its oil capacity, costing billions of dollars in lost revenue.

"The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta resumes its hostilities against the Nigerian oil industry, the Nigerian armed forces and its collaborators with effect from 00:00 hours Friday, October 16," the group said in its latest e-mailed statement.

It is unclear who is running MEND after key militant commanders -- Government Tompolo, Ateke Tom, Soboma Jackrich, Ebikabowei Victor Ben and Farah Dagogo -- surrendered their machine guns, rocket launchers and explosives in return for President Umaru Yar'Adua's unconditional pardon.

MEND says the next phase of its struggle will be its "most critical" and it has threatened to "burn down" all previously attacked oil installations.

The group had agreed to its three-month ceasefire to allow for possible peace talks following Yar'Adua's amnesty offer to all gunmen. MEND and the government have not yet held any formal discussions.

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