Nigeria to propose 60-day amnesty for oil militants
(Adds militant statement)
ABUJA, June 24 (Reuters) - Nigeria's president will propose a 60-day amnesty programme for militants in the Niger Delta on Thursday, in an effort to end years of attacks on Africa's biggest oil and gas industry, a senior official said.
"All militants who respond positively to the amnesty proclamation should ... receive presidential pardon and thus become immune to criminal prosecution," the source close to Nigeria's Council of State told Reuters.
President Umaru Yar'Adua is due to present the proposal to the Council, composed of the country's 36 state governors as well as former heads of state and chief justices, on Thursday.
The Nigerian leader has said the amnesty programme will be open to all gunmen in the Niger Delta and would provide rehabilitation, education and training.
Militant attacks in the region, home to Africa's biggest oil and gas industry, have cut Nigerian oil output to less than two thirds of its installed capacity of 3 million barrels per day over the past three years.
One militant leader, Ateke Tom, has indicated he would consider taking part in the amnesty programme if the military halts its offensive and withdraws its troops from the region, one of his lawyers said this month. [ID:nLG850456]
But the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the region's main militant group, on Wednesday denied local media reports that other militant commanders had accepted taking part in the programme.
"MEND is waiting to hear if President Yar'Adua has anything new to offer in his expected address on Thursday before responding accordingly," it said in an emailed statement. (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say the top issues, visit: af.reuters.com/ ) (Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Randy Fabi; Editing by Nick Tattersall and Louise Ireland)
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