Nigerian Militants Threaten Agip, Italian Firms

Attacks by MEND have shut down more than a fifth of Nigerian crude oil production over the past five years.

Nigeria's main militant group warned on Wednesday that it may launch attacks against Italian companies including energy firm Agip because of what it said was an Italian offer of equipment to the Nigerian military.

"The Italian government ... has made an unsolicited offer of two attack boats to the Nigerian military, which is waging an unjust war against the people of the Niger Delta region," the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said.

"MEND therefore wishes to put Agip on notice that its government like that of Britain has by this action put its workers and Italian companies in the region at serious risk," the group said in an emailed statement.

In Rome, the Foreign Ministry said Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, who is currently in Nigeria, offered cooperation and assistance to the Nigerian government in fighting drug trafficking and crime but that there had been no specific offer to supply two military vessels.

The ministry said it was evaluating MEND's threat.

A ministry spokesman later said he was wrong to imply in earlier comments that Frattini had discussed offering two boats to Nigeria during his trip but that nothing had been finalised.

MEND is still holding two British oil workers kidnapped more than five months ago in the creeks of the Niger Delta. The group has in the past accused the British government of offering military support to help Nigeria fight militant groups.

Attacks by MEND have shut down more than a fifth of Nigerian crude oil production over the past five years.

The group said almost two weeks ago it was ending a five-month-old ceasefire and on Saturday claimed an attack on a Royal Dutch Shell gas plant.