Nigerian militants threaten bomb, oil attacks ahead of vote

LAGOS: Nigerian militant group MEND has threatened simultaneous bomb blasts and attacks on oil facilities ahead of April general elections in the oil rich west African country.

"The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) will soon commence with simultaneous bomb blasts and attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta and other strategic locations in Abuja and Lagos states of Nigeria," the group said in an e-mail statement late Sunday.

MEND said it would issue a 30 minute advance warning to residents of the targetted areas to evacuate "to avert avoidable loss of lives."