YENAGOA, Nigeria — Unknown gunmen on Saturday shot dead a former militant leader and his driver on the outskirts of Yenagoa, capital of Nigeria's oil-rich Bayelsa State, the state police boss said.
"I can confirm that Ebi Albert and his driver were shot dead today in their car by the gunmen who we think were trailing him from Port Harcourt," Aliyu Musa told AFP on telephone.
The oil city Port Harcourt is about 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Yenagoa.
The policeman in their company in the car escaped with bullet wounds, he said.
The motive for the killing is still unknown.
"No arrests have been made yet. We are investigating the killing and why he was travelling in company of a policeman," added Musa.
Albert is believed to be among the first set of ex-militants who embraced the federal government's unconditional amnesty deal in 2009 under which more than 20,000 former oil "rebels" gave up arms in exchange for money, training and reintegration.
Militant activity in the region, which included kidnappings of mostly foreign oil workers and attacks on oil installations, lowered the country's oil production from 2.6 million barrels a day to about one million at the peak of the unrest.
The amnesty deal led to a sharp decline in attacks, but some observers fear a return of unrest if the programme is not followed through.
Nigeria is among the world's largest oil producers, but its government has been unable to provide basic services to millions living in dire poverty.
Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved
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