ABUJA, Nigeria, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Nigeria's latest peace effort has been called a sham by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, an umbrella organization for armed groups.
Nigeria's government amnesty program offers a pardon and a job to militants and their leaders who relinquish their weapons. MEND, however, said the drive is a charade and that the government was purchasing the weapons, CNN reported Tuesday.
"In the midst of such sheer deceit, MEND will be compelled to resume with ferocious attacks on the oil industry at the end of our cease-fire on Sept. 15, 2009," the group said Saturday.
MEND called for a 60-day truce in July after the release of its leader as part of a separate amnesty agreement with the Nigerian government.
Nigeria's military had been conducting a major operation to clear the Niger Delta of militant organizations, before the current amnesty arrangement, CNN reported.
MEND has demanded more of Nigeria's oil wealth be reinvested in the region. Militants have destroyed several oil facilities, forcing Nigeria to cut its oil exports by as much as 1 million barrels of oil per day, CNN reported. Oil represents 80 percent of Nigeria's budget revenue.
The amnesty program is the first step to bring peace to the region, the government says.
"Before now, the promises may not have been well meant. But this time we believe the promises are well meant," said Timipre Sylva, governor of Bayelsa state, site of a weekend weapons surrender program.
Lucky Ararile, coordinator of Amnesty Implementation Committee, told CNN the militants should take up the offer, otherwise, "the law will take its course."
