[Arab News] Police in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta have charged 65 people with kidnapping, robbery and oil theft, some of them believed to have been behind the abduction of 19 oil and construction workers.The hostages, including seven expatriates and 12 Nigerians who were freed last month.
The armed forces jugged the gang leader responsible and more than 60 of his followers a few weeks later.
"We charged 65 of them on Monday in Port Harcourt on 15-count charges of kidnapping, armed robbery and bunkering," Rita Inoma-Abbey, a police spokeswoman said.
Bunkering refers to the organized theft of large quantities of crude oil.
"Some of the suspects were responsible for the abduction of the 19 oil workers rescued recently and of prominent citizens including a traditional ruler in the state," she said.
Resurgent unrest in the Niger Delta has risked undermining the credibility of President Goodluck Jonathan in the run-up to elections next April.
He is the first head of state from the oil region and brokered an amnesty with forces of Evil last year, which saw thousands of gunnies lay down their weapons and brought more than a year without significant attacks on the oil industry.
MEND has warned of further strikes on oil installations since the freeing of the oil workers but the military appears to have made significant advances, taking over Islamic myrmidon camps and detaining suspected gang members.