Nigerian militants call ceasefire

Finally the Nigerian militants behind some of the worst attacks on Nigeria's oil infrastructure and the kidnap of oil workers has annouched a ceasefire.

The group, the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) said it followed an appeal made by elders in the region to give peace and dialogue another chance.

It said that there would be no more attacks from midnight on Tuesday until further notice.

Only last week the group launched the first attack on an offshore oil site.

Nigeria's president ordered tighter security in the Delta after the attack on the Shell installation at Bonga, 120km (75 miles) out to sea, which cut Nigerian production by 10%.

It was the first time militants had struck at Nigeria's hugely valuable offshore oil fields, far out to sea, which had previously been considered relatively safe from attack.

Also, over the weekend, the US oil giant Chevron has halted onshore oil production at its Escravos oilfield after an attack on a pipeline

Source: BBC News (click to read full story)