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Nigeria arrests foreign 'spies' | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A well-known US aid worker and her two German companions have been arrested in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region. | |
Security officials say Judith Burdin Asuni, Florian Alexander Opitz and Andy Lehmann are being held on suspicion of "espionage and terrorism". | |
The Germans had been filming masked youths from the Ijaw community in Delta State, allegedly without clearance. | |
Delta militants have been conducting a violent campaign for the oil-rich area to get a larger share of the oil money. | Delta militants have been conducting a violent campaign for the oil-rich area to get a larger share of the oil money. |
The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says the two German nationals had come to Nigeria to do a preliminary research for a possible TV documentary about the Niger Delta. | |
Our correspondent says the Niger Delta is a sore subject for the Nigerian authorities, particularly the international attention given to militant groups. | |
'Exploiting situation' | |
The US embassy in Abuja told the BBC that it was in touch with the Nigerian government over the continued detention of Mrs Asuni, who is married to a Nigerian and has lived in the region for 36 years. | |
"All we know is that Judith Asuni is a peace worker who got funding from academics and international donor agencies to work for peace in Nigeria," the embassy said. | |
Mrs Asuni runs a high-profile non-governmental organisation called Academic Associates Peace Work and has run workshops with the Nigerian police on conflict management. | |
The Germans were detained last week by members of the State Security Service (SSS) after filming the masked youths. | |
A few days later, the SSS also arrested Mrs Asuni whose organisation had provided some assistance to the two Germans. | |
According to a security service official who spoke to the BBC, they suspected the three of an attempt to carry out an act of terrorism. | |
"The lady is suspected of espionage by exploiting the situation in the Niger Delta," Addo Mwazu said. | |
Other reports suggest the arrests were because their actions intended to embarrass Nigeria. | |
The Niger Delta is home to all of Nigeria's oil, responsible for 95% of hard currency earnings, but most of the peoples of the Delta live in abject poverty. | The Niger Delta is home to all of Nigeria's oil, responsible for 95% of hard currency earnings, but most of the peoples of the Delta live in abject poverty. |
This week, the main militant group in the region, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, called off a truce with the Nigerian government after the arrest of one of its leaders in Angola. | This week, the main militant group in the region, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, called off a truce with the Nigerian government after the arrest of one of its leaders in Angola. |
It had announced a voluntary truce after the May inauguration of President Umaru Yar'Adua, but says talks have failed. | It had announced a voluntary truce after the May inauguration of President Umaru Yar'Adua, but says talks have failed. |
Last week, President Yar'Adua ordered an investigation into alleged links between government officials in the Niger Delta and violent criminal gangs. | Last week, President Yar'Adua ordered an investigation into alleged links between government officials in the Niger Delta and violent criminal gangs. |
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