Ceasefire under threat again

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) threatened to break its ceasefire with the Nigerian military's Joint Task Force (JTF) on 14 January 2009 after soldiers allegedly killed a militant leader while he was in their custody. MEND claims that the JTF troops humiliated Tubotamuno Angolia -- who is also known as Boy Chiki -- before shooting him and has threatened to carry out "spectacular attacks" on soldiers in response. Angolia was arrested on charges of spearheading violent clashes between rival factions in the Niger Delta; his arrest comes one day after unidentified militants attacked and killed two JTF soldiers in the nearby Delta state. The military, however, denies MEND's accusations, stating that Angolia was shot when he was attempting to escape from custody.