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Top Niger Delta Politician's House Bombed


Nigerian police say unknown assailants have bombed the home of a prominent politician in the country's oil-rich Niger Delta.

The police confirmed Saturday attackers in four speedboats threw explosives into the country home of former deputy governor of Bayelsa State Peremobowei Ebebi.

Ebebi has been in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, for several weeks. However, witnesses say a private security guard was shot and seriously injured during the attack. According to some reports, the guard was killed.

Ebebi has been in a long-standing political dispute with the governor, Timipre Sylva.

Last month, Ebebi was removed from office by the local parliament.

With nationwide elections coming early in 2011, some analysts fear the political tensions in what is already a volatile area in southern Nigeria could prove to be a catalyst for vote-related violence.

This is not the first violent attack at Ebebi's property. In May, a car exploded near a hotel Ebebi owns. There were no casualties in that incident.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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