AFRICA: The head of the Nigerian military in the oil-producing Niger Delta has been removed from his post on suspicion of involvement in the theft of crude oil, government sources said on Wednesday. The removal of Brigadier General Elias Zamani, head of the military joint task force (JTF) in the delta, is a vindication for militants fighting the government in the southern wetlands region. It could help free three foreign oil worker hostages being held by them, diplomats said. Militants have long accused Zamani, among other top military officers, of being behind the trade in stolen oil, known locally as bunkering, worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Full Story