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The Future Land and the Niger Delta - Tue, 24 May 2011

Vanguard: Activist petitions AIG over invasion of residence - Fri, 13 May 2011

AFP: Nigerian soldiers target militants in oil region - Thu, 12 May 2011

AllAfrica.com: Ogoni Community Files New Law Case Against Shell - Wed, 11 May 2011

Next: Delta communities threaten oil companies - Wed, 11 May 2011

Sun news: Niger Deltans task Jonathan on energy - Mon, 9 May 2011

Vanguard: FG plans micro-finance scheme for non-militant trainees - Mon, 9 May 2011

The Nation: Niger Delta women protest corps members’ death - Mon, 9 May 2011

Voice of America: Nigeria's Ruling Party Still Strong in Oil-Rich Niger Delta - Thu, 5 May 2011

Vanguard: PIB to become law before May 29 - Wed, 4 May 2011

Telegraph: Shell sued over oil spill in Niger Delta - Sun, 1 May 2011

The Economist: Democracy 1, vote-rigging 0 - Fri, 15 Apr 2011

Businessday: Split opposition plays into Jonathan’s hands - Fri, 15 Apr 2011

Reuters: Nigeria's oil not the target of election violence - Fri, 15 Apr 2011

Guardian: Nigeria's president fights for survival as nation turns against party of power - Fri, 15 Apr 2011

Ex-Militants, Niger Delta Forum Rally Support - Thu, 14 Apr 2011

Reuters: Nigerian election hit by postponements - Thu, 7 Apr 2011

World Politics Review: Nigeria's Election Bungling Remains Peaceful, So Far - Wed, 6 Apr 2011

This Day: Buhari - Botched Election Exposed PDP Rigging Strategies - Wed, 6 Apr 2011

Sahara Reporters: INEC Postpones Parliamentary Elections Till Saturday April 9 - Sun, 3 Apr 2011

Sahara Reporters: PHOTONEWS - Failed Parliamentary Elections April 2011 - Sat, 2 Apr 2011

Breaking news - Risks of election violence escalate in Delta State - Fri, 1 Apr 2011

Guardian Nigeria: Bellingham - Nigeria: International Community expects - Fri, 1 Apr 2011

African Commission asked to adopt Principles of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Tue, 22 Mar 2011

Protesters halt passage of Petroleum Industries Bill as Senators fail to show up - Tue, 22 Mar 2011

Tribune: FG monitors beneficiaries over April polls - Thu, 17 Mar 2011

Reuters: Nigeria militants claim oil strike, army blames youths - Thu, 17 Mar 2011

Amnesty International warns Nigeria over political violence - Thu, 17 Mar 2011

International Women's Day: Women in Nigerian Politics - Tue, 8 Mar 2011

Politician Richard Nima Assassinated - Tue, 8 Mar 2011

Sun: FG tasks N’Delta skill acquisition graduates on peace - Fri, 4 Mar 2011

Voter registration flawed says Domestic Election Observers Partnership - Fri, 4 Mar 2011

BBC: Deadly blast targets rally near Abuja - Thu, 3 Mar 2011

Worldstage: Family alleged arrest of Netherlands-based Niger Delta activist - Tue, 1 Mar 2011

Nigeria: Oil Spills, Natural Gas Flares, and Bunkering - Tue, 1 Mar 2011

Daily Indedendent: Oil companies in Delta not sincere – Edward-Ekpo - Sun, 27 Feb 2011

Nigerian Tribune: Amnesty has halted crimes - Fri, 18 Feb 2011

Vanguard: JTF debunks allegations of crude oil theft - Wed, 16 Feb 2011

Guardian: Shell: Clean-up goes on for Niger Delta – and oil company's reputation - Thu, 3 Feb 2011

Petroleum Industries Bill will be passed into law before May - Thu, 3 Feb 2011

Shell taken to court by Nigerian arms dealer - Fri, 28 Jan 2011

Reuters: Nigerian president names new Niger Delta adviser - Thu, 27 Jan 2011

Shell Accused over misleading figures on Nigerian oil spills - Wed, 26 Jan 2011

Vanguard: 'We’re not militants', Niger Delta youths tell Nigerians - Wed, 26 Jan 2011

BBC: Nigerian government to issue first dollar bond - Fri, 21 Jan 2011

BBC: Nigeria's president told to reduce ministries - Fri, 21 Jan 2011

Guardian: Goodluck Jonathan wins vote to run in Nigeria's April election - Fri, 14 Jan 2011

The Nation: NNPC now to supply fuel in riverine areas - Thu, 13 Jan 2011

Reuters: Explosion after local primaries in Nigeria oil delta - Thu, 13 Jan 2011

Worldstage: Military arrests regrouped militant leader in Niger Delta - Wed, 12 Jan 2011

CEHRD: Delta Re-Run Election - Lessons Not Learned - Sat, 8 Jan 2011

This Day: Delta Update: Protests Halt Results - Fri, 7 Jan 2011

Delta State Election re-run information - Fri, 7 Jan 2011

Wall Street Journal: Shell to Face Nigeria Grilling - Fri, 7 Jan 2011

BBC: Nigeria Senate leader Teslim Folarin on murder charge - Fri, 7 Jan 2011

BBC: Niger delta election: Massive security in Nigeria - Fri, 7 Jan 2011

Human Rights Defender Patrick Nagbanton receives death threats - Fri, 7 Jan 2011

Fishing in Nigeria - an Endangered Occupation - Wed, 15 Dec 2010

Red Cross assists victims of violent clashes in Nigeria's Niger Delta region - Wed, 15 Dec 2010

Guardian: Nigeria to drop Dick Cheney charges after plea bargain - Wed, 15 Dec 2010

Reuters: Nigeria army says 14 killed in Niger Delta raids - Wed, 15 Dec 2010

Der Spiegel: A Cesspool of Corruption and Crime in the Niger Delta - Fri, 10 Dec 2010

BBC: WikiLeaks - Pfizer denies dirty tricks claims in Nigeria - Fri, 10 Dec 2010

Child rights NGO under attack from Governor of Akwa Ibom - Thu, 9 Dec 2010

Guardian: WikiLeaks cables - Shell's grip on Nigerian state revealed - Thu, 9 Dec 2010

Niger Delta Civil Society Organisations condemn the JTF following the brutal military raid of Ayakoromor, Delta State - Tue, 7 Dec 2010

Women of Outasegha use theatre to canvas for development - Mon, 6 Dec 2010

VOA: Nigerian Military Acknowledges Possible Civilian Casualties in Niger Delta Campaign - Mon, 6 Dec 2010

Vanguard: Villagers accuse JTF of mass killings in raid on millitants - Sun, 5 Dec 2010

Reuters: Nigeria agency to charge Cheney over Halliburton - Thu, 2 Dec 2010

Rumukpe women protest against displacement as oil companies continue to operate - Mon, 29 Nov 2010

BBC Radio 4: 'Tenuous future for all oil companies' in Nigeria - Mon, 29 Nov 2010

BBC Radio 4: Nigeria's missed oil opportunities - Fri, 26 Nov 2010

BBC: Nigeria to hold presidential election on 9 April - Thu, 25 Nov 2010

VOA: Nigerian Hostage Release Shows Military Shifting Approach - Thu, 25 Nov 2010

BBC: Nigeria's Mend militants claim oil pipeline attack - Tue, 23 Nov 2010

Vanguard: Militants Plant Explosives to Bomb More Pipelines - Mon, 22 Nov 2010

Business Day: Freed hostages recount ‘shocking’ ordeal - Fri, 19 Nov 2010

Niger Delta women seek gender and equalities law - Tue, 16 Nov 2010

SDN joins PACT coalition – Preventing Abuse of Children Today - Fri, 12 Nov 2010

15 years on: The Niger Delta remembers Ken Saro Wiwa - Wed, 10 Nov 2010

Guardian: NGOs and BBC targeted by Shell PR machine in wake of Saro-Wiwa death - Tue, 9 Nov 2010

BBC: Nigerian militants seize workers from oil rig - Mon, 8 Nov 2010

BBC: Nigeria rapped for mass evictions - Fri, 29 Oct 2010

Amnesty: Nigeria must investigate Bundu shootings - Fri, 29 Oct 2010

Bloomberg: Shell to Sell More Nigerian Onshore Oil Fields, Invest Elsewhere - Fri, 29 Oct 2010

Daily Trust: Why Shell, Total, Agip sell off oil stakes in Nigeria - Sun, 24 Oct 2010

Students graduate from Kpite STAND centre - Fri, 22 Oct 2010

Agip to rehabilitate Health Centre in Akala-olu community - Fri, 22 Oct 2010

Amnesty: World Habitat Day march disrupted in Nigeria - Fri, 22 Oct 2010

234Next: Groups demand justice for Bundu waterfront killing - Tue, 12 Oct 2010

VOA: Suspect in Nigeria Blast Disowned by Niger Delta Militants - Thu, 7 Oct 2010

Al Jazeera: video report on MEND camps - Thu, 7 Oct 2010

"Ghost" polling booths haunt Nigeria elections - Thu, 7 Oct 2010

Push for improvement in African fisheries worries environmentalists - Thu, 7 Oct 2010

The Nation: Amaechi urged to halt demolition of waterfront - Tue, 5 Oct 2010

Civil Society Organisations add to pressure to delay national elections - Thu, 23 Sep 2010

Polls' Extension - National Assembly in Crucial Meeting Monday - Thu, 23 Sep 2010

BBC: French crewmen kidnapped from ship off Nigerian coast - Wed, 22 Sep 2010

Business Day: Fresh demolition plan leaves PH waterfront dwellers jittery - Thu, 16 Sep 2010

SDN staff are in the Niger Delta working directly with communities affected by the conflict and the social and environmental issues related to the extraction of Oil and Gas.

Read the news archives here...


The Future Land and the Niger Delta - Tue, 24 May 2011

In the just concluded Terra Futura (Future Land), an international exhibition held (May 20 – 22, 2011) in Florence, Italy within the scope of Renewable Energy, Environmental Protection, Human Rights and a Peaceful Coexistence, different talks and proposals were in abundance. In the middle of the huge exhibition was a chat with Laura Renzi, a campaign coordinator of amnesty international, Italy. The following are the questions and answers about the Niger Delta and the multinational oil companies, one argument that cannot be forgotten in a hurry.

 

Vanguard: Activist petitions AIG over invasion of residence - Fri, 13 May 2011

BENIN-PROMINENT Niger Delta activist, Chief (Mrs) Rita Lori-Ogbebor, yesterday, petitioned the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Police, zone 5 Benin, demanding investigation into the invasion of her Warri residence by armed political thugs and subsequent shooting and maiming of persons in the compound on April 25, 2011.

 

AFP: Nigerian soldiers target militants in oil region - Thu, 12 May 2011

LAGOS — Nigerian troops on Thursday pushed ahead with an operation to flush out a group of militants in the country's main oil-producing region, an army spokesman said, a day after the two sides exchanged gunfire.

AllAfrica.com: Ogoni Community Files New Law Case Against Shell - Wed, 11 May 2011

Port Harcourt — The people of Bodo in Gokana local government area of Rivers state have dragged the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to court following a recent spill from its Trans-Niger pipelines which has destroyed farm lands and fishing settlement in the area.

Next: Delta communities threaten oil companies - Wed, 11 May 2011

Host communities to the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) at Jones Creek in Warri South-West local government area of Delta State have threatened to disrupt the activities of the company in their should it fail to recognise them as a stakeholder in the ongoing privatisation of the facility.

 

Sun news: Niger Deltans task Jonathan on energy - Mon, 9 May 2011

People of the Niger Delta under the umbrella of Niger Delta Nationality Forum (Lagos chapter) have advised President Goodluck Jonathan to pay serious attention to energy in the country as part of measures to develop the country. The Chairman of the Forum, Mr. Seigha Manager, said the improvement of energy supply across the country was the major thing Nigerians look forward to from Jonathan’s administration.

 

Vanguard: FG plans micro-finance scheme for non-militant trainees - Mon, 9 May 2011

ABUJA-THE Federal Government has concluded arrangements to commence a micro-finance scheme that would enable all the trainees in the Niger Delta access soft loans with which to either start-off or finance their businesses.

 

The Nation: Niger Delta women protest corps members’ death - Mon, 9 May 2011

THE sombre visage and black attires spelt out the mood of over 70 women of the Niger Delta who revisited the killing of members of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) in the post-election violence that gripped the North. The women gathered at the Lagos office of the Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG) to protest the killing of the corps members.

 

Voice of America: Nigeria's Ruling Party Still Strong in Oil-Rich Niger Delta - Thu, 5 May 2011

Elections in Nigeria cut the ruling party's share of powerful state governors. But President Goodluck Jonathan's party retains control of most of the oil-rich Niger Delta where it is promising to follow through with an amnesty program for former militants.

 

Vanguard: PIB to become law before May 29 - Wed, 4 May 2011

PRESIDIENT Goodluck Jonathan is to sign the much awaited Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, into law before the expiration of the present administration in May 29, 20011.

Telegraph: Shell sued over oil spill in Niger Delta - Sun, 1 May 2011

Royal Dutch Shell has been hit with a class-action lawsuit in London by the Bodo community of Nigeria, which suffered a "devastating" oil spill when a key pipeline burst in the summer of 2008.

 

The Economist: Democracy 1, vote-rigging 0 - Fri, 15 Apr 2011

What made it different is that officials fought back hard for the first time. They introduced a new voting system that severely limits fraud, using a clever mix of high-tech and low-tech. All 73.5m voters were fingerprinted and screened to stop duplication. Most polling booths opened for only an hour to prevent multiple voting. Electoral officials tallied the results in front of the voters. Independent monitors collected the numbers instantaneously using mobile phones in an exercise called “crowd tabulation”.

 

Businessday: Split opposition plays into Jonathan’s hands - Fri, 15 Apr 2011

President Goodluck Jonathan goes into an election tomorrow bolstered by division among the main opposition parties, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which has increased his chances of sealing victory in the first round. The nation votes tomorrow; the second time this month as part of an election cycle which, so far, observers deem to have been among the most credible for several decades.

 

Reuters: Nigeria's oil not the target of election violence - Fri, 15 Apr 2011

ABUJA, April 13 (Reuters) - Bombings and political violence soured what was Nigeria's fairest election in decades last Saturday but the unrest has shown no sign so far of posing a risk to the flow of oil from Africa's largest exporter.

 

Guardian: Nigeria's president fights for survival as nation turns against party of power - Fri, 15 Apr 2011

Welcome to Nigerian democracy, three weekends of voting that will change the political climate in Africa's most populous nation. Last weekend they voted for parliamentarians; next weekend it will be for governors. This weekend is the big one: a presidential race likely to install Goodluck Jonathan, a steady former zoology lecturer, as the country's third elected president in the 16 years since military rule ended.

 

Ex-Militants, Niger Delta Forum Rally Support - Thu, 14 Apr 2011

Ahead of Saturday's presidential elections, a group of ex-militants has called on Nigerians to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan as a guarantee for national stability and steady economic progress.

The group operating under the aegis of Network for the Defence of Democracy and Good Governance (NDDGG), said Nigerians should at this point vote proven individual capacity to deliver the dividends of democracy as against ethnic and party affiliations.

Reuters: Nigerian election hit by postponements - Thu, 7 Apr 2011

"At the moment I have ballot papers for the House of Representatives but no results sheets. For the Senate I have results sheets but no ballot papers," Maria Owi, resident electoral commissioner in Akwa Ibom, told Reuters.

World Politics Review: Nigeria's Election Bungling Remains Peaceful, So Far - Wed, 6 Apr 2011

The last-minute postponement on April 2 of Nigeria's parliamentary elections raises the stakes in an already tense election cycle that will also decide whether President Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the country's oil-rich Niger Delta region, will stay in power for the next four years.

 

This Day: Buhari - Botched Election Exposed PDP Rigging Strategies - Wed, 6 Apr 2011

Former Head of State and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change,[CPC], Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) said the postponement of the rescheduled National Assembly Elections has exposed the very sophisticated rigging strategies of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party [PDP].

 

Sahara Reporters: INEC Postpones Parliamentary Elections Till Saturday April 9 - Sun, 3 Apr 2011

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has provisionally agreed with political parties to postpone the parliamentary elections earlier schedule for tomorrow till Saturday April 9th 2011.

Sahara Reporters: PHOTONEWS - Failed Parliamentary Elections April 2011 - Sat, 2 Apr 2011

>> Take a look at this photoessay of the failed parliamentary elections.

 

Breaking news - Risks of election violence escalate in Delta State - Fri, 1 Apr 2011

Interviews conducted by activists with members of armed gangs and political parties have revealed significant distributions of weapons and advanced preparations for violence. Some preparations are precautionary – anticipating attacks from rivals – but the potential for this to spiral out of control is significant. The most at risk areas appear to be the 'uplands' between Warri and the state capital Asaba but threats appear to exist state-wide.

 

Guardian Nigeria: Bellingham - Nigeria: International Community expects - Fri, 1 Apr 2011

In a year where national-level elections will take place in 20 countries across the African continent, the events over the course of the next month in Nigeria will have huge significance for Africa, the region and globally.

 

African Commission asked to adopt Principles of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Tue, 22 Mar 2011

Human Rights organisations are urging the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to adopt the Principles and Guidelines on the Interpretation of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the African Charter on Human and Peoples.

Protesters halt passage of Petroleum Industries Bill as Senators fail to show up - Tue, 22 Mar 2011

On Tuesday March 15 the Senate halted the passage of the Petroleum Industries Bill for a second time in a move to counter the protestors barricading the National Assembly.

Earlier, the consideration of the bill was postponed as the number of Senators present to discuss the bill was deemed insufficient, given its high legislative importance.

Tribune: FG monitors beneficiaries over April polls - Thu, 17 Mar 2011

With less than four weeks to the April general election, the Federal Government has put in place measures at ensuring that beneficiaries of its amnesty offer in the Niger Delta are not used as political thugs by politicians in the region.

Reuters: Nigeria militants claim oil strike, army blames youths - Thu, 17 Mar 2011

YENAGOA, Nigeria (Reuters) - A Nigerian militant group claimed responsibility for an attack on an Agip oil facility in the Niger Delta on Wednesday, but the military said it was an isolated incident carried out by local youths.

Amnesty International warns Nigeria over political violence - Thu, 17 Mar 2011

Amnesty International has urged the Nigerian government to check the rising tide of political, ethnic and religious violence threatening the April general election.

International Women's Day: Women in Nigerian Politics - Tue, 8 Mar 2011

On Tuesday March 8 groups around the world will be marking the 100th International Women’s Day, a day where the economic, political and social achievements of women are noted and celebrated. No doubt these achievements are numerous. Yet the obstacles that women must still overcome are equally numerous. Sola Odunfa’s recent article (BBC, February 24) gives one such example – the challenges that face women engagement in Nigerian politics.

Politician Richard Nima Assassinated - Tue, 8 Mar 2011

Richard Nima, a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) politician in Rivers State, was shot in his home on February 1, following a break-in orchestrated by 12 assailants. Nima later died on the way to Teme Clinic; he never received medical care as the car broke down before it reached the hospital.

Sun: FG tasks N’Delta skill acquisition graduates on peace - Fri, 4 Mar 2011

The Federal Governmenth as charged Niger Delta young men and women who benefited from its skills acquisition programme to maintain peace in the region. The youths had returned from extensive training in all aspects of Agriculture at the Songhai Farms, Port Novo, Benin Republic, on Sunday.

 

Voter registration flawed says Domestic Election Observers Partnership - Fri, 4 Mar 2011

In a press statement, a group of Nigerian organisations that form the Domestic Election Observers Partnership (DEOP) warned that the voter registration exercise has not been satisfactorily conducted, suggesting that the incidence of duplicates could be much higher than the stated 1.8%.

 

BBC: Deadly blast targets rally near Abuja - Thu, 3 Mar 2011

A bomb has exploded during a political meeting near the Nigerian capital Abuja, killing at least three people, police say.

 

Worldstage: Family alleged arrest of Netherlands-based Niger Delta activist - Tue, 1 Mar 2011

Warri (WorldStage Newsonline)-- The family of Netherlands-based Niger Delta activist, Comrade Sunny Ofehe has raised the alarm over his alleged illegal arrest and detention by Dutch police.

Nigeria: Oil Spills, Natural Gas Flares, and Bunkering - Tue, 1 Mar 2011

The big banner, imitating thick oozing oil, hung from the façade of Shell Headquarters in the Hague, Netherlands. It read: “Shell, let’s go clean Nigeria!”, and was put up by activists on January 26, 2011 – the date the Dutch parliament scheduled a hearing to examine what Amnesty International and environmental groups alleged was the extremely hazardous environmental practices of the company. Shell simply denied the accusations, and went as far as declining to pay the rather small $100 million dollars a Nigeria court slapped on it as compensation for victims.

 

Daily Indedendent: Oil companies in Delta not sincere – Edward-Ekpo - Sun, 27 Feb 2011

The oil-rich Niger Delta region attracts global attention as Nigerian’s economic gateway. With an estimated 30 million people in an ecologically sensitive area of 112,110 square kilometers, oil majors milk away unquantifiable oil with the host communities coming off worse, with pollution of their surface and underground water, air and depletion of their mangroves in return.

 

Nigerian Tribune: Amnesty has halted crimes - Fri, 18 Feb 2011

The Federal Government, on Thursday, said the amnesty programme initiated for the youth of the Niger Delta had put an end to organised crimes and militancy in the area.

 

Vanguard: JTF debunks allegations of crude oil theft - Wed, 16 Feb 2011

The Joint Task Force, JTF, on the Niger Delta, has described as untrue, claims by some politicians including a member of the Dutch parliament that its personnel were involved in crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.

 

Guardian: Shell: Clean-up goes on for Niger Delta – and oil company's reputation - Thu, 3 Feb 2011

Despite today's soaring profit figures, Shell remains a company under siege for its lucrative activities in Africa.

 

Petroleum Industries Bill will be passed into law before May - Thu, 3 Feb 2011

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has assured the international community that he expects the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), now under consideration by the National Assembly, to be passed into law before the end of the current parliament in May.

Shell taken to court by Nigerian arms dealer - Fri, 28 Jan 2011

Shell is currently being sued in Lagos by notorious arms dealer Chief Gabriel Akinluyi, who claims Shell owes him over $200,000 in fees for his part in securing arms to protect their oil establishments in 1994.

Reuters: Nigerian president names new Niger Delta adviser - Thu, 27 Jan 2011

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan named an anti-terrorism co-ordinator and a new adviser for the Niger Delta oil region late on Wednesday, in a sign he aims to tighten national security ahead of April elections.

Shell Accused over misleading figures on Nigerian oil spills - Wed, 26 Jan 2011

Amnesty International and Friends of the Earth International today (25 January) filed an official complaint against oil giant Shell for breaches of basic standards for responsible business set out by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The organisations claim that Shell’s use of discredited and misleading information to blame the majority of oil pollution on saboteurs in its Niger Delta operations has breached the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The complaint was filed with UK and Netherlands government contact points for the OECD.

Vanguard: 'We’re not militants', Niger Delta youths tell Nigerians - Wed, 26 Jan 2011

They christened their pressure group the Niger Delta Youth Forum and also delight in describing it as a non-violent forum preaching and advocating for justice and equality, as well as canvassing for unity and moral values among youths of the region.

BBC: Nigerian government to issue first dollar bond - Fri, 21 Jan 2011

The Nigerian government is to issue bonds which pay interest in US dollars for the first time.

BBC: Nigeria's president told to reduce ministries - Fri, 21 Jan 2011

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has been told by a key advisory panel to cut government's running costs.

Guardian: Goodluck Jonathan wins vote to run in Nigeria's April election - Fri, 14 Jan 2011

President Goodluck Jonathan, who became leader of Nigeria only after the death of its elected president, today won the endorsement of the country's ruling party, making him the overwhelming favourite to win April's presidential election.

The Nation: NNPC now to supply fuel in riverine areas - Thu, 13 Jan 2011

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will, henceforth, deliver fuel to riverine communities in the Niger Delta, it said Wednesday.

Reuters: Explosion after local primaries in Nigeria oil delta - Thu, 13 Jan 2011

LAGOS (Reuters) - An explosion hit the local headquarters of an opposition party in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta on Thursday shortly after delegates had finished holding state governorship primaries, a senior official said.

Worldstage: Military arrests regrouped militant leader in Niger Delta - Wed, 12 Jan 2011

The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in Niger Delta on Wednesday announced the arrest of a militant leader, Commander Keith Sese known along the creeks and waterways as Commander Noumekeme, in Bayelsa State.

CEHRD: Delta Re-Run Election - Lessons Not Learned - Sat, 8 Jan 2011

On Thursday, January 6, 2011 re-run election in Delta State was held. CEHRD had monitors in the 25 local government areas of the state. In this special post-election edition, CEHRD focuses on election preparations, observation, violence, fraud around the process, turnout, results etc.

This Day: Delta Update: Protests Halt Results - Fri, 7 Jan 2011

The candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) in the Delta rerun governorship election, Chief Great Ogboru, has stormed INEC's office in Asaba to protest the release of the results. He is asking for forensic analysis of the ballot papers before the official results are released.

Delta State Election re-run information - Fri, 7 Jan 2011

Read more about SDN and CEHRD's Delta State election re-run observation and download the reports here.

 

Wall Street Journal: Shell to Face Nigeria Grilling - Fri, 7 Jan 2011

Royal Dutch Shell PLC will this month be grilled by Dutch lawmakers for the first time over its operations in the Niger Delta, reflecting growing concern in the West about oil spills in west Africa.

BBC: Nigeria Senate leader Teslim Folarin on murder charge - Fri, 7 Jan 2011

A court in Nigeria has charged the leader of the Senate, Teslim Folarin, with involvement in the murder of trade union activist Lateef Salako.

BBC: Niger delta election: Massive security in Nigeria - Fri, 7 Jan 2011

More than 20,000 Nigerian police have been deployed to the oil-rich Niger Delta, where elections for a state governor are being held.

Human Rights Defender Patrick Nagbanton receives death threats - Fri, 7 Jan 2011

Amnesty International: Patrick Naagbanton, Coordinator of SDN partner organisation the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has received a number of death threats in the last two weeks. Amnesty International believes his life to be in danger.

Fishing in Nigeria - an Endangered Occupation - Wed, 15 Dec 2010

For many years now, fishing, particularly in Nigeria's Niger Delta region, has suffered a terrible setback because of the hostile activities of the oil companies in the area. Gabriel Ewepu writes on this development.

Red Cross assists victims of violent clashes in Nigeria's Niger Delta region - Wed, 15 Dec 2010

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Nigerian Red Cross Society are providing protection and assistance for people affected by the violent clashes between Nigerian security forces and the John Togo militant group in Warri and neighbouring communities in the Niger Delta region.

Guardian: Nigeria to drop Dick Cheney charges after plea bargain - Wed, 15 Dec 2010

Nigeria's anti-corruption police have dropped charges against Dick Cheney, the former US vice-president, over a multi-million dollar bribery case after the energy firm Halliburton agreed to pay up to $250m (£161m) in fines.

Reuters: Nigeria army says 14 killed in Niger Delta raids - Wed, 15 Dec 2010

ABUJA (Reuters) - Soldiers and civilians were killed during an assault by Nigeria's armed forces on militant camps in the oil-producing Niger Delta two weeks ago, the army chief said late on Tuesday, highlighting the intensity of the violence.

Der Spiegel: A Cesspool of Corruption and Crime in the Niger Delta - Fri, 10 Dec 2010

The leaked US diplomatic cables reveal just what multinational oil companies are up against in the Niger Delta. Security forces are ineffective and involved in dubious oil deals. The government demands millions in bribes. Even university students have earned pocket money by working as kidnappers.

BBC: WikiLeaks - Pfizer denies dirty tricks claims in Nigeria - Fri, 10 Dec 2010

US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has dismissed as "preposterous" reports that it hired investigators to uncover evidence of corruption against a former Nigerian attorney general.

Child rights NGO under attack from Governor of Akwa Ibom - Thu, 9 Dec 2010

In August 2010, in response to the broadcast of a CNN documentary on child witches in Akwa Ibom State, the Governor of Akwa Ibom claimed that Stepping Stones Nigeria and our Nigerian partner NGO, CRARN, are fraudulent organisations who have extorted over £2 million from members of the public and not used it to help children accused of witchcraft in the State. These were the same allegations that were levelled against the organisations by the Nigerian pastor, Helen Ukpabio, in law suits that she filed against them in 2009.

 

Guardian: WikiLeaks cables - Shell's grip on Nigerian state revealed - Thu, 9 Dec 2010

US embassy cables reveal top executive's claims that company 'knows everything' about key decisions in government ministries.

Niger Delta Civil Society Organisations condemn the JTF following the brutal military raid of Ayakoromor, Delta State - Tue, 7 Dec 2010

We condemn the actions of the Joint Task Force on the 1st and 2nd December 2010 that resulted in at least 9 civilian fatalities, 4 serious injuries and the burning of over 150 buildings in Ayakoromor community, Burutu local government area, Delta state. The disproportionate use of force in a highly populated civilian environment is unacceptable.

Women of Outasegha use theatre to canvas for development - Mon, 6 Dec 2010 The people of Otuasegha in Balyelsa State have resulted to using theatre presentation to attract government and Community attention to the plight of women in the Community.

VOA: Nigerian Military Acknowledges Possible Civilian Casualties in Niger Delta Campaign - Mon, 6 Dec 2010

The Nigerian military acknowledged Sunday that civilians may have been killed during the recent military operation against militants in the oil-rich southern region.

Vanguard: Villagers accuse JTF of mass killings in raid on millitants - Sun, 5 Dec 2010

SURVIVORS of the December 1 invasion of Ayakoromor community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State by the Joint Task Force, JTF, on the Niger-Delta, code-named Operation Restore Hope, yesterday, gave chilling details of how they escaped death, their kinsmen killed and homes razed.

Reuters: Nigeria agency to charge Cheney over Halliburton - Thu, 2 Dec 2010

LAGOS, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Nigeria's anti-corruption police said on Thursday they planned to file charges against former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in a $180 million bribery case involving a former unit of oil services firm Halliburton.

Rumukpe women protest against displacement as oil companies continue to operate - Mon, 29 Nov 2010

About 100 women from the exiled Community of Rumuekpe in Ikwere local government area in Rivers State protested in Port Harcourt on Monday 29th November at the Rivers Sate House of Assembly, the office of the Commissioner of Police and Government House, Port-Harcourt.

The women say they are suffering after the local Chief and the Council Chairman armed local youths - fanning fresh crises in Rumuekpe.

BBC Radio 4: 'Tenuous future for all oil companies' in Nigeria - Mon, 29 Nov 2010

Shell has said it has repaired a pipeline that was sabotaged in the Niger Delta last week. In his second report, the BBC's Edward Stourton considers the impact of oil pollution in the country and assesses the threat it could pose to the entire Nigerian economy.

BBC Radio 4: Nigeria's missed oil opportunities - Fri, 26 Nov 2010

Despite being one of the richest oil regions in the world, many in the Niger Delta still live in abject poverty.

BBC: Nigeria to hold presidential election on 9 April - Thu, 25 Nov 2010

Officials in Nigeria have said the country will hold a presidential election on 9 April next year, ending months of uncertainty.

VOA: Nigerian Hostage Release Shows Military Shifting Approach - Thu, 25 Nov 2010

The rescue of 19 hostages in the Niger Delta represents a shifting approach by Nigeria's military who worked more closely with local groups to secure their release.

BBC: Nigeria's Mend militants claim oil pipeline attack - Tue, 23 Nov 2010

The Nigerian militant group Mend has said it was behind a weekend attack on an oil pipeline feeding a big refinery.

Vanguard: Militants Plant Explosives to Bomb More Pipelines - Mon, 22 Nov 2010

Warri — LEADERS of some oil communities in Delta State, Monday, exposed the clandestine activities of some armed youths, suspected to be militants, who, in the past three days, were observed planting locally - made bombs on a number of oil pipelines and well heads in the creeks, with a view to blowing them up in the next few days.

Business Day: Freed hostages recount ‘shocking’ ordeal - Fri, 19 Nov 2010

Foreign oil workers among the 19 hostages freed by the Joint Military Task Force (JTF), described as "shocking" their ordeal, on Thursday, even as an official said no ransom was paid for their release.

Niger Delta women seek gender and equalities law - Tue, 16 Nov 2010

The National Coalition on Affirmative Action met for a one day forum on "The Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill" in Port Harcourt on Tuesday 16th November 2010.

SDN joins PACT coalition – Preventing Abuse of Children Today - Fri, 12 Nov 2010

Stakeholder Democracy network and its local partners are proud to be a part of the PACT coalition, an initiative of Stepping Stones Nigeria. PACT is a response to the widespread abuses of children's rights that take place due to the belief in so-called child witches.

15 years on: The Niger Delta remembers Ken Saro Wiwa - Wed, 10 Nov 2010

Fifteen years after the murder of environmental Activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 others, the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) held a roundtable discussion in Port-Harcourt to make sure that the issues they raised are not forgotten.

Guardian: NGOs and BBC targeted by Shell PR machine in wake of Saro-Wiwa death - Tue, 9 Nov 2010

Secret internal company documents from the oil giant Shell show that in the immediate aftermath of the execution of the Nigerian activist and writer Ken Saro-Wiwa it adopted a PR strategy of cosying up to key BBC editors and singling out NGOs that it hoped to "sway".

BBC: Nigerian militants seize workers from oil rig - Mon, 8 Nov 2010

Gunmen in Nigeria have attacked an oil rig and seized up to seven workers after a recent lull in such raids.

BBC: Nigeria rapped for mass evictions - Fri, 29 Oct 2010

The rights group Amnesty International has criticised Nigeria's government over mass evictions in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

Amnesty: Nigeria must investigate Bundu shootings - Fri, 29 Oct 2010

The Nigerian government must set up an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the use of firearms by security forces that left at least one person dead and 12 seriously injured at in the southern city of Port Harcourt, Amnesty International has said in a new report.

Bloomberg: Shell to Sell More Nigerian Onshore Oil Fields, Invest Elsewhere - Fri, 29 Oct 2010

Royal Dutch Shell Plc aims to continue selling off its concessions at onshore oil and gas fields in Nigeria and funnel investment into more profitable projects elsewhere, the company’s chief financial officer said.

Daily Trust: Why Shell, Total, Agip sell off oil stakes in Nigeria - Sun, 24 Oct 2010

Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC), Total Nigeria Ltd (Total) and Nigeria Agip Oil Company Limited Wednesday sold 45 per cent stake in OML 26 in a deal with a Nigerian company in what oil operators attribute to fear of political instability in Nigeria.

Students graduate from Kpite STAND centre - Fri, 22 Oct 2010

The Kpite STAND centre has graduated its first batch of it students from the various training offered by the centre. The graduation, the first of it kind, took place at Kpite Community hall on Saturday 2nd October 2010.

Agip to rehabilitate Health Centre in Akala-olu community - Fri, 22 Oct 2010

Agip Oil Company, one of the multinationals that operate in the Niger-Delta has informed Akala-olu Community in Ahoada West Local government that they will assist them in their quest to rehabilitate and equip their abandoned health centre.

Amnesty: World Habitat Day march disrupted in Nigeria - Fri, 22 Oct 2010

On World Habitat Day earlier this month, a group of non-governmental organisations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, arranged to mark the day with a demonstration and march, protesting against plans by the state authorities to forcibly evict over 200,000 people from their homes in informal communities in Port Harcourt’s waterfronts.

234Next: Groups demand justice for Bundu waterfront killing - Tue, 12 Oct 2010

Amnesty International and Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have called on the Nigerian authorities to set up an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the excessive use of force and firearms by security forces, which resulted in the death of at least one person and 12 serious injuries at Bundu waterfront, Port Harcourt, last year.

VOA: Suspect in Nigeria Blast Disowned by Niger Delta Militants - Thu, 7 Oct 2010

Authorities in Nigeria say the main suspect in the bombing deaths of 12 people during last Friday's independence day celebrations is former Niger Delta militant Henry Okah.

Al Jazeera: video report on MEND camps - Thu, 7 Oct 2010

In this Aljazeera exclusive, Yvonne Ndege reports from a MEND training camp in their heartland, the oil-rich Niger Delta.

"Ghost" polling booths haunt Nigeria elections - Thu, 7 Oct 2010

LAGOS (Reuters) - The list of voting stations for next year's elections in Nigeria is littered with duplications and flaws that suggest almost a quarter of the 120,000 polling centres might not exist, an election watchdog said on Tuesday.

Push for improvement in African fisheries worries environmentalists - Thu, 7 Oct 2010

A push for greater investment and development of African fisheries is worrying environmentalists who fear that large scale aquaculture would damage delicate eco-systems.

The Nation: Amaechi urged to halt demolition of waterfront - Tue, 5 Oct 2010

The Rivers State government has been urged to discontinue the demolition of waterfront in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Civil Society Organisations add to pressure to delay national elections - Thu, 23 Sep 2010

September 15th 2010: As Nigeria draws closer to the 2011 general election, Civil Society Organisations (CSO's) in Rivers State have met with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to encourage them to delay the general election until April 2011.

Polls' Extension - National Assembly in Crucial Meeting Monday - Thu, 23 Sep 2010

Abuja — The Senate and House of Representatives committees on Constitution Review would on Monday meet jointly to deliberate on the possibility of extending time for the 2011 general election beyond the January 2011 earlier fixed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

BBC: French crewmen kidnapped from ship off Nigerian coast - Wed, 22 Sep 2010

Three French crewmen have been kidnapped in an attack on a ship in an oilfield off the Nigerian coast.

Business Day: Fresh demolition plan leaves PH waterfront dwellers jittery - Thu, 16 Sep 2010

Irked by the Rivers State government’s resolve to demolish the over 50 waterfront settlements across Port Harcourt, residents last week matched to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, to seek both the Federal Government and international community’s intervention regarding a possible stay of action.