Rival militias announced a cease-fire Thursday after five days of bloody gunbattles in southern Nigeria’s key oil port of Warri. The truce comes after street fighting that witnesses say killed at least 45 people, and burned dozens of homes. Nigeria’s army sent reinforcements to the region Wednesday to try to quell the bloodshed. Abel Oshevire, a spokesman for Delta State Gov. James Ibori, said the governor met with leaders of the rival Itsekiri and Ijaw ethnic groups, winning their signatures on a pact committing them to try to make young fighters lay down weapons. The governor explained “they would all be losers if this conflict is allowed to continue,” Oshevire said. “And they all agreed to stop fighting.” Violent clashes have become frequent in Warri as militias fight over distribution of the Niger Delta’s oil wealth. Full Story
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