PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria (Reuters) -- Nigerian militants killed two civilians in a car bomb attack on an army barracks in the southern city of Port Harcourt, extending a four-month onslaught against the world's eighth-largest oil exporter.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), whose attacks have cut Nigerian oil exports by a quarter, said in an email they detonated 30 kg (66 lb) of dynamite using a cellular telephone on Wednesday night.

The use of the car bomb was unusual, and the militants threatened to stage more such attacks on the military, oil installations and individuals.

"There was an explosion at 7.30 yesterday which resulted in the death of two persons and six people were injured," Brigadier General Samuel Salihu told a news conference on Thursday.

Another military spokesman said there were no military personnel among the casualties.

MEND, which has demanded more local autonomy over the Niger Delta's oil wealth, said the bomb had been concealed in a Mercedes Benz. The explosion blew the car 20 meters from its original site, on the side of a road in the Bori Camp barracks.

MEND said the attack was "symbolic rather than strategic" and served as a warning that the military was unable to protect itself, let alone workers at oilfields dotted around the vast maze of mangrove-lined creeks in Nigeria's far south.

The group has waged a four-month campaign of sabotage and kidnapping against Africa's top oil producer, forcing companies to cut production by 550,000 barrels per day and helping drive world oil prices to record highs.

It released the last of its Western oil worker hostages in March after holding two Americans and a Briton for five weeks.

More attacks

The militants have warned all oil workers to leave the delta and vowed to halt exports completely.

A little-known group that first appeared in December, MEND is a coalition of militias which the government has branded "rascals" and accused of involvement in a lucrative trade in stolen crude oil.

But its demands -- which also include the release of two jailed leaders from the region and compensation for oil spills -- are shared by many activists in the area, where most people live in poverty despite the riches being pumped from their land.

"In the coming weeks, we will carry out similar attacks against relevant oil industry targets and individuals," MEND said in an email.

Prominent leaders of the Ijaw tribe, who have taken advantage of the crisis to make separate demands, would also be targeted in these attacks, MEND added.

President Olusegun Obasanjo tried to address some of the grievances this week by promising to build a $1.8 billion highway across the delta, a region almost the size of England, and create 20,000 jobs.

MEND rejected the initiative and has insisted on its demand for local control of the delta's oil resources.

Analysts link the violence to uncertainty ahead of next year's presidential election. Different tribal and regional groups believe it's their turn to run multi-ethnic Nigeria after eight years of Obasanjo, a Yoruba from the southwest.

These hopefuls have been infuriated by a powerful campaign to amend the constitution to allow Obasanjo to stay in power for a third consecutive term.

Copyright 2006 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Robot  Villager

# 1 Car bomb kills 2 in Nigeria ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 20.04.2006 10:29

Tochukwu  Villager

# 2 If the bird learns to fly without perching the hunter will shoot without aiming. Good job, MEND. The only language the Nigerian government hears is the language of violence. Keep the tempo up and going; target those politicians and their cronies. Paradise is imminent. Posted by Tochukwu| 20.04.2006 10:53

Uche Nworah  Villager

# 3 I take God beg this MEND people, softly, soflty o! The joke don pass play o! The handshake ma don dey cross elbow, wetin innocent civilians do now? Violence begets violence and we will all suffer the consequences. If this bombing expedition is not terrorism, then i wonder what else is. If they want bomb, dem no know the prison where their brother Mujahid Dikibo dey? abi dem no know where Aso Rock dey? Their late brother Boma Erokosima of P.H FM talk say the man wey dey throw stone inside market, how him sure say him papa or him mama no dey inside? Posted by Uche Nworah| 20.04.2006 10:57

Exxcuzme  Villager

# 4 Oga Tochukwu, You are happy an indiscriminate bomb is going off? Wait till the bomb affect someone you know they you wont be a cowboy. They should be targeting the oil companies and their state govt who are not performing not innocent souls. Posted by Exxcuzme| 20.04.2006 11:08

Zhul- qarnain  Villager

# 5 =Tochukwu>If the bird learns to fly without perching the hunter will shoot without aiming. Good job, MEND. The only language the Nigerian government hears is the language of violence. Keep the tempo up and going; target those politicians and their cronies. Paradise is imminent. Chineke God of Nigeria and Chicago, come see Madam Tochukwu, the woman sit don for chicago come dey wish amaggedon for naija. Haba God dey o! In which part of the report did you read that the two people that died were politicians or their cronies. A little boy once said that he was not afraid of war because according to him, in the event of an outbreak of war, he will find comfort in his grandma's room. Alas when war broke out both the little boy and the Grandma were looking for a place to hide. This is a dangerous trend which will blow no good to no one. it should be condemned and not commended. Please o! I get plenty friends and families for naija, who are neither politicians nor cronies, incidentally they have just perfected the art of dodging police and robbers stray and direct bullets. Shei, you want make dem start to train for how to dodge bombs ni? Posted by Zhul- qarnain| 20.04.2006 11:23

Tochukwu  Villager

# 6 Mr. Exxcuszme This is war. People die in wars and there is nothing you can do about it. Targeting the oil installations will not yield the desired results nor peaceful placard demonstration do. Tell me, for years Nigerian federation has suppressed, oppressed, pillaged and massacred innocent Niger Delta people while the world watched. The Nigeria contraption has never benefitted the benevolent Niger Delta people even though they are the force uniting the country. Killing people here and there in the course of this struggle does not make any difference afterall the war has been seething for years. Was the ravaging of Odi a military exercise or total declaration of war? When the Federation killed Saro-Wiwa, it was to all for good? If I die in the struggle its all ok. People have put their lives in the struggle and my life is not bigger than others. But be assured that the cowardly Nigerian government will buckle. Posted by Tochukwu| 20.04.2006 11:31

gwobezentashi  Villager

# 7 What a load of nonsense??? Where do they think they are???? Iraq??? Palestine??? MEND is sinking deeper and deeper into the mire of acute criminality. Whomever has told these people that this is freedom fighting had better think again. Exploding of incendiary devices in civilian neighbourhoods in the name of whatever political statement is the greatest escalation of misguided activism. This would solve nothing other than make life harder for their sponsors and sympathisers whom are well known to the security services. Those governors whom have been aiding and abetting these indiscriminate acts of violence must henceforth not know peace and must be brought to justice in chains. Mr President should know that the softly softly approach has only begotten further violence and only makes the State look weak. It is time for the State to protect the majority of the people from this mindless and wanton violence. It is time to get serious because enough is indeed enough! It is time to declare a state of emergency in the Niger Delta. Aluta!! Gwobezentashi Posted by gwobezentashi| 20.04.2006 11:32

EezeeBee  Villager

# 8 =gwobezentashi>...Exploding of incendiary devices in civilian neighbourhoods ... It is time to declare a state of emergency in the Niger Delta. Gwobezentashi Predictably, the following would escape your attention: a car bomb attack on an army barracks As for the second quote I've excerpted from you, perhaps unbeknownst to you, a state of emergency HAS been ongoing in the Niger Delta; people die every day from the deleterious effects of the Nigerian State (and it's foreign collaborators) raping the people daily and repeatedly. It just didn't affect those of your ilk so you couldn't possibly have perceived the emergency. TOPLINE LAST I deeply, deeply, DEEPLY regret the loss of CIVILIAN life due to the car-bomb. Those who died could be my father, mother, sister or brother so it matters VERY MUCH that they died. Sadly, and regrettably, it could also be my father, mother, sister or brother who dies daily in the Niger delta due to neglect by the Nigerian State. Which life is 'superior' in your opinion? I think it's a very sad anniversary in the history of Nigeria that the first (to the best of my knowledge) car bombing occured on the same day as the Columbine shootings in the USA. Posted by EezeeBee| 20.04.2006 11:47

Root	# 9 Na wa ooh.....Oil dey Sweet ooh, Make i Tanda dey watch Sha Posted by Root| 20.04.2006 11:49

N.A.R.  Villager

# 10 Eze, Just a reminder, the report also did say no military persons were affected. I am sure you remember that military barracks in Nigeria have huge civilian populations as well. Posted by N.A.R.| 20.04.2006 11:57

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