2006年VOA标准英语-Nigerian Rebel Group Threatens Retaliation Over

（单词翻译）

By Gilbert Da Costa
Abuja
04 July 2006
 
 
Militants² patrol the creeks³ of the Niger Delta⁴ area of Nigeria (File photo - Feb. 24, 2006)
  
Ethnic⁵ militants fighting for local control over Nigeria's oil wealth have threatened to attack the police in Rivers state, located in the Niger Delta.  The threat followed the killing⁶ last week of three militants by the police.

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Security has been stepped up in Nigeria's main oil city, Port Harcourt, as the city braces⁷ itself for fresh attacks by the Movement for the Emancipation⁸ of the Niger Delta, known as MEND.

The group has staged a series of attacks this year that have killed an unknown number of security forces. MEND, a loose coalition⁹ of militant¹ groups, has vowed¹⁰ swift revenge for what it alleged¹¹ were the summary executions of three of its so-called freedom fighters.

The police confirmed three people had been killed, but denied they were executed. The police said they were armed robbers who were killed in an ambush¹².

Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers state, has suffered attacks from militants groups in recent weeks. Kelvin Ebiri, a Port Harcourt resident, says there is now a pervasive¹³ sense of insecurity in the southern oil city.

"The fear of insecurity in Port Harcourt is very real," he said. "There is a sense of insecurity here, no doubt about it. Port Harcourt night life used to be a thriving one but now because of the insecurity, you hardly find people out. Like in my office area, once it is 6; 6.30; 7 p.m you hardly find taxis along the road."

The police, however,are playing down on the threat of further violence and the prevailing¹⁴ tension. State police chief, Samuel Agbetuyi, says security forces are battle-ready for the insurgents¹⁵.

"If a section of Nigeria is threatening they will kill the others, then we will wait now, for them. But we are not fighting each other. Nobody is fighting any other person,"said Agbetuyi.

MEND has waged a series of attacks and kidnappings since January against oil industry targets in the region, leading to an estimated 20 percent drop in Nigeria's oil production. Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer and the world's sixth exporter.

Analysts¹⁶ say the current wave of violence could seriously hurt the oil-and-gas industry.