The main rebel group in Nigeria's restive, oil producing Niger Delta
region has made threats against a planned multi-billion-dollar pipeline
project that would deliver natural gas from Nigeria to Europe.
In
an email message sent to reporters Saturday, the Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) warned investors that
unless what it called "root causes" in the Niger Delta are addressed
and resolved, any money put into the pipeline project would be wasted
because it will be sabotaged.
MEND has frequently stolen oil,
sabotaged oil installations and kidnapped oil workers for ransom since
late 2005. The group and other militants have been fighting for
greater control of natural resources in the region.
On Friday,
energy ministers from Nigeria, Algeria and Niger signed an agreement to
build the pipeline that would would run from Nigeria, across Niger and
Algeria to Europe.
The European Union says the pipeline could
help ease Europe's dependence on supplies from Russia. Officials
estimate the Trans-Saharan pipeline would cost at least $13 billion.
The
agreement comes just over a week after Russian President Dmitri
Medvedev met with Nigerian leader Umaru Yar'Adua. During the meeting
in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, Mr. Medvedev said his country was ready
to invest billions of dollars in Nigeria and work toward the
Trans-Sahara pipeline.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
