LAGOS (AFP)--Southern Nigeria's main armed group MEND said Thursday it had fired on a army helicopter, prompting the military to issue a denial.
"A military helicopter gunship...entered the airspace of a major MEND camp in Bayelsa state and was shot at with heavy anti-aircraft guns," the group said in a statement, adding that a "plume of black smoke" could be seen from the gunship.
"This incident has prompted us to warn that any further provocation will result in the resumption of hostilities," the statement added.
The army, however, rejected the claims.
"They didn't shoot at any military helicopter anywhere. That is not correct at all," said Brigadier Wuyep Rimtip, commander of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF).
MEND claims to be fighting for a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth for the local people.
It came to prominence in January 2006 and has since claimed responsibility for a string of violent attacks on Nigeria's oil industry and kidnappings of both local and foreign oil workers in the region.
The unrest has reduced Nigeria's oil output by more than one quarter. Production currently stands at between 1.8 and 2 million barrels a day against 2.6 million barrels two years ago.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 20, 2008 17:47 ET (22:47 GMT)

Publié le 20 novembre 2008 Copyright © 2008 Dowjones