UK’s Prime Minister said he is willing to help Nigeria’s army tackle lawlessness in the world’s eighth largest oil producer. His call was immediately condemned by the main militant group in the Delta, which issues a stern warning to Britain. It said ‘Should Gordon Brown made good his threat to support this criminality for the sake of oil, UK citizens and interests in Nigeria will suffer the consequences.’

Brown said that the UK was ready to offer the Nigerian military direct assistance to help return law and order to the southern region and to restore oil output.

The Prime Minister said: "We stand ready to give help to the Nigerians to deal with lawlessness that exists in this area and to achieve the levels of production that Nigeria is capable of, but because of the law and order problems has not been able to achieve." His comments came ahead of a visit to London by the Nigerian President, Umaru Yar'Adua, next week in which he is expected to appeal for military aid to put down militant groups who have attacked oil pipelines and platforms, reports the Independent newspaper.

Brown is now accused of fuelling war in the Nigerian Delta and this has brought a breakdown of an existing cease-fire between Nigerian forces and the rebel groups. The UK is trying to put its hands on cheaper oil and expects to see global oil prices fall if it succeeds in establishing ‘peace’ in the region.

For the rebels, it will be the start of a new colonial episode in which Britain will be the target and thus British interests and tourists indeed. Nigeria was given it independence in On October 1, 1960 from the British Empire. A return of the British soldiers in Nigeria will be seen as an attempt by London to re-colonize the country by many Nigerians. It will be yet another unpopular war. They would also be accused of attacking Nigeria in order to make a grab for its oil.

“It would be immoral to try to help the Nigerian army defeat these kids running around with guns, when the people paying them, owning them and controlling them are untouched in palaces in Abuja. Britain's moral voice in the world has been weakened so much with Iraq and it would be obliterated by this. We have already heard the screams of neo-colonialism from Zimbabwe, and it would be catastrophic for Britain's image in Africa if they were seen wading into Nigeria,” wrote the Independent.

The newspaper said most of the militants fighting against Nigeria’s army personnel in the Delta are paid and maintained by a gang which can be considered as the oil mafia of the North African nation. They live in lavish and posh houses in Abuja and they control the oil resources in Nigeria. They are those responsible for the loss of at least 30% if not more, of Nigeria’s oil, a percentage that is not accounted for by Nigeria’s oil producing company but is taken away by force by the ‘oil mafia’.

Armed youths blew up a Nigerian crude oil pipeline operated by U.S. major Chevron on Thursday, cutting about 120,000 bpd, a military source said. Chevron declined to say how much output was shut-in.

Nigerian Oil Minister Odein Ajumogobia said on Sunday the world's eighth largest oil exporter was producing around 1.8 million bpd before the latest shut-ins, indicating supply outages could be higher than industry estimates. Nigeria has the capacity to produce around 3 billion barrels per day.

A series of attacks on installations and the kidnapping of oil workers by the main militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), have cut Nigerian oil production by one-quarter. The group is demanding a greater share of oil revenues be given to local people as the Niger Delta is among the poorest regions in Africa, despite the immense oil wealth it produces.

The following is a breakdown of production cuts in barrels per day confirmed by oil companies and industry sources.

Field Operator Output Outage Date Shut In Bonga Shell (RDSa.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) 220,000 June 2008 Brass River Eni (ENI.MI: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) 45,000* June 2008 Bonny Light Shell 164,000 April 2008 Forcados Shell 160,000* Feb 2006 EA Shell 115,000 Feb 2006 Escravos Chevron (CVX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) 120,000 June 2008 Escravos Chevron 70,000 since 2003 Pennington Chevron 50,000 n/a

Total: 944,000 bpd

They estimate current Forcados production at around 240,000-250,000 bpd. Shell does not comment on daily production rates.

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