ATTACK ON NIGERIAN LEADER'S HOUSE !
Mr Jonathan will become vice-president in two weeks time. Militants have attacked the country residence of the Vice-President-elect Goodluck Jonathan, in the oil-rich Niger Delta in a dawn speedboat attack.
Police says the house in Bayelsa State, where Mr Jonathan is currently governor, was partially destroyed.
The attackers also blew up a nearby police station. Two policemen died in the raid.
No group has claimed responsibility so far for the attack. Mr Jonathan was not in the house at the time, say sources.
"We know they are from one of the militant groups operating in the Niger Delta but we don't know from which group. We lost two officers in the attack," said Nigeria's national police spokesman Haz Iwendi.
Meanwhile, gunmen have taken a child from a house in an affluent part of Port Harcourt, the region's oil capital. Police say they are combing the area.
Crisis
The men arrived at Mr Jonathan's house in Otueke village in the Ogbia area in the south of the state in two speedboats at about 0200 local time, Mr Iwendi said.
"The parents of the vice president-elect, who were in the house, were saved by our men and the house has been partially destroyed."
Mr Jonathan and President-elect Umaru Yar'Adua - both Nigeria's governing party candidates - won by a landslide in the 21 April elections.
The Nigerian government must move on from press release responses and really deal with these attackers - Benjamin Akande, US-based Nigeria expert.
Police says the house in Bayelsa State, where Mr Jonathan is currently governor, was partially destroyed.
The attackers also blew up a nearby police station. Two policemen died in the raid.
No group has claimed responsibility so far for the attack. Mr Jonathan was not in the house at the time, say sources.
"We know they are from one of the militant groups operating in the Niger Delta but we don't know from which group. We lost two officers in the attack," said Nigeria's national police spokesman Haz Iwendi.
Meanwhile, gunmen have taken a child from a house in an affluent part of Port Harcourt, the region's oil capital. Police say they are combing the area.
Crisis
The men arrived at Mr Jonathan's house in Otueke village in the Ogbia area in the south of the state in two speedboats at about 0200 local time, Mr Iwendi said.
"The parents of the vice president-elect, who were in the house, were saved by our men and the house has been partially destroyed."
Mr Jonathan and President-elect Umaru Yar'Adua - both Nigeria's governing party candidates - won by a landslide in the 21 April elections.
The Nigerian government must move on from press release responses and really deal with these attackers - Benjamin Akande, US-based Nigeria expert.
The shadowy militants in Nigeria's Delta
The opposition has described the polls as "flawed", demanding a re-run.
The vote was also criticised by international observers.
There was a similar attack on Mr Jonathan's official residence by unidentified militants on the eve of last month's presidential election.
Police say they have not established any link between the two incidents.
It is not clear why the militants attacked, but analysts say they are trying to remind the incoming president Umar Yar'Adua that the crisis in the region is far from over.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
posted by jackaranda at 4:18 pm
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