Brown outlines Niger Delta help

One Nigerian militant group responded angrily to Britain's offer of support

Britain will work with Nigeria to improve security in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, Gordon Brown has said.

Following talks with Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua, the prime minister said the UK would help "identify a training and advisory support package".

President Yar'Adua said he wanted to see the creation of a maritime security training centre in the lawless region.

Attacks on the inshore Niger Delta have helped drive up world oil prices and cut Nigeria's output.

President Yar'Adua said restoring security in the area could allow Nigeria to provide an additional 1.2m barrels of oil a day to the global market.

"This will impact generally on the world energy situation," he said.

'Blood oil'

Earlier this month, the prime minister told journalists at the G8 summit in Japan that the UK would help Nigeria "deal with lawlessness" in the Delta.

In response, militant group the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said it would end a ceasefire and that UK interests would "suffer the consequences".

Following talks at Downing Street on Wednesday, Mr Brown said: "The price of oil requires us to look round the world where sources of production can be found.

"One of the areas where we can make the greatest progress most quickly is the Niger Delta."

The prime minister did not give details about the training to be given, but a Number 10 official said it would involve "military experts providing military advice".

Mr Brown did say that the Department for International Development had offered to help state governors in the Delta region establish "robust and accountable" financial systems.

'Innocent blood'

President Yar'Adua told the G8 summit that an international cartel of oil smugglers was stealing billions of dollars in "blood oil" from Nigeria.

He compared this illegal trade to that of "blood diamonds" and called for an international effort to stop it.

"When the crude is taken, part of the proceeds are used to buy sophisticated weapons which are taken back to the Niger Delta and used to shed the blood of innocent people," he said.

Activists in the Delta say there is no way oil smuggling could be done without the compliance of corrupt elements of the Nigerian state.

Numerous foreign workers, including Britons, have been kidnapped from the Delta town of Port Harcourt.

And on Wednesday, thousands of people fled the oil town of Bonny after militants threatened to behead anyone not originally from the area.