-Caveat Lector- Agent Smiley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: <snip> > > `SPECIAL NAVAL SECURITY TASK FORCE' ANNOUNCED FOR NIGER DELTA > > > > MOSOP has joined other Niger Delta community groups in expressing its > > deep concern over the announced formation of a Naval Special Security > > Task Force to police the Delta. > > > > According to a Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) report on December > > 25th, the Nigerian military authorities are creating the Task Force to > > `protect oil installations against vandalisation'. This announcement > > was credited to the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Jubril Anyinah > > during a courtesy call on the Military Administrator of Rivers State, > > Group Captain Sam Ewang. > > > > Delta communities are interpreting the formation of the Task Force as an > > ominous sign that the military authorities are consolidating their > > political control over oil producing areas - and the country's main > > source of income - in preparation for a shift of power to civilian > > administration in 1999. <snip> ========================================== It appears that the Nigerian military are responding to orders from their colonial masters. -- Bob Shell Expects Peaceful End to Nigeria Ultimatum Reuters 29-DEC-98 LAGOS, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Royal/Dutch Shell's Nigerian oil-producing unit said on Tuesday it was working towards a peaceful end to an ultimatum on oil multinationals to leave Ijaw areas in the main oil region. Ethnic Ijaw youth groups scattered across Nigeria's oil delta issued a joint ultimatum early this month on oil firms to leave their land by December 30 or face unspecified action, alleging pollution of land and deprivation of oil wealth. "We're in dialogue with their representatives. All parties are reasonable and we expect a peaceful end," a Shell company spokesman told Reuters. Ijaw National Congress (INC), the umbrella body for various Ijaw interest groups, on Tuesday dissociated itself from the ultimatum by the youths. "We believe that our problems with the federal government can be solved through dialogue," Edwin Clark, spokesman of the INC said in a statement in the southern oil town of Warri. The statement said the decision to ask oil majors to leave "was never tabled before the highest decision making body of the Ijaw nation" and could not be binding on all Ijaws. An upsurge of violence by armed militants, including sabotage and seizure of oil installations, have affected Nigeria's oil output in recent months. Shell, which pumps about half of the nation's output of some two million barrels per day (bpd) from mainly onshore facilities, has been most vulnerable to the disruptions. The ultimatum to oil companies comes at a critical time for Nigeria, Africa's most populous country of 108 million as it grapples with severe economic problems while military ruler General Abdulsalami Abubakar prepares to step down for elected civilians in May. The military authorities have so far not taken any action against the armed Ijaw militants, possibly because of the fear of adverse publicity by the oil multinationals. Shell is the biggest foreign oil operator in Nigeria. Other companies include U.S.-based Mobil Corp, Chevron, Texaco Inc, Italy's Agip and France's Elf Aquitaine. Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited.All rights reserved. ================================= Robert F. Tatman [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Remove "nospam" from the address to reply. NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml POSTING THIS MESSAGE TO THE INTERNET DOES NOT IMPLY PERMISSION TO SEND UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL E-MAIL (SPAM) TO THIS OR ANY OTHER INTERNET ADDRESS. RECEIPT OF SPAM WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION OF THE SENDER'S ISP. ____________________________________________________________________ More than just email--Get your FREE Netscape WebMail account today at http://home.netscape.com/netcenter/mail DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. 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