VOA常速英语2008年-American Film Crew Freed in Nigeria

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
17 April 2008

Nigerian security forces have released four members of a Seattle-based film crew, and their Nigerian associate, arrested in the Niger Delta¹. The Americans, along with a Nigerian head of a local non-governmental organization, were taken into custody² by the military last Saturday for traveling in the region without a military escort. For VOA, Gilbert da Costa has more in this report from Abuja.

U.S. embassy and Nigerian security officials confirmed the release of the four American filmmakers and their Nigerian colleague. A statement on the film company's web site said the Americans and a Nigerian man accompanying them were released to U.S. embassy personnel in the capital, Abuja.

The crew is is scheduled to report to the state security police on Friday for processing.

Lawyers representing the group say no offense³ was committed by their clients. They argued that the group should charged or released from jail. The Seattle-based company, Sweet Crude, says the U.S. citizens entered Nigeria legally on April 5 to complete a documentary on oil production in the Niger Delta.

Nigerian security forces consider the violence-prone Niger Delta a military zone and restrict access to outsiders.

Omon Julius, a journalist in the delta, agrees with the government position, saying the region is too dangerous for foreigners without military protection.

"If anything happens to these people, it would be very embarrassing not just to the security in Nigeria but to the government itself. So it is good if any group is coming for anything in the creeks⁴, they [military] should be notified because sometimes they can have surprise encounters with militants⁵ on the high sea. It is even good for those who are coming, because they [military] will normally provide some cover," said Julius.

A group of 14 U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to Nigerian President Umaru Yar Adua calling for the immediate⁶ release of the filmmakers.

A number of foreigners have been arrested in the Niger Delta recently as the Nigerian military grapples with an insurgency⁷ that threatens Africa's largest oil industry.

The bulk of Nigeria's oil is produced in the Niger Delta where armed groups frequently attack oil installations and kidnap foreign oil workers in a campaign for a greater share of the region's oil wealth.

1 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

2 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

3 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

4 creeks   

n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪

参考例句：

• The prospect lies between two creeks. 矿区位于两条溪流之间。 来自辞典例句
• There was the excitement of fishing in country creeks with my grandpa on cloudy days. 有在阴雨天和姥爷一起到乡村河湾钓鱼的喜悦。 来自辞典例句

5 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

6 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

7 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网