Blasts cripple Nigerian peace talks

A couple of explosions in a government building in Warri, capital of the Nigerian state of Delta (south) paralized the peace talks in the oil-producing region of Nigeria Monday.

The bombs were planted in two cars, near the building where the meeting was taking place, and they detonated close to 11:00 local time, said the police, which did not confirm any victims because of the explosions.

The source said the meeting was organized by private newspaper Vanguard to look for a solution to the crisis but was rejected by rebel Movement for the Emancipation of the Delta Niger.

MEND was the responsible for the attacks in a communiqué stating their intentions to stop the attempt to bring the parts in conflict closer for an agreement and made objections on the amnesty offered by the Nigerian government and accepted by several rebel leaders last year. A Nigerian news agency said the first bomb exploded when Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan was entering the building, together with his colleagues from the states of Imo and Edo (southeast and center-west) Ikedi Ohakim and Adams Oshiomhole.

Ufot Ekaette, Minister for the Niger Delta and representative for the Nigerian interim President Goodluck Jonathan in the conversations, was also present when the first bomb went off.

The second detonation created a chaos situation, and the meeting was postponed. Lagos, Nigeria, Prensa Latina