Exclusive on Nigeria amnesty move for oil-region rebel

Reuters reported exclusively on July 9 that Nigerian rebel leader Henry Okah had accepted a government amnesty offer as part of steps to try to quell unrest in the oil-producing Niger Delta. Attacks by militants have shut in more than 300,000 barrels per day of Nigeria’s crude output, helping to boost world prices. Although attacks on oil installations have continued despite the government amnesty, Okah’s release had been a key demand of militants and was welcomed by his group, which said it wanted peace talks. Reuters was well ahead of competitors in reporting that Okah had accepted the deal and with official confirmation that he would be released. The Reuters story was cited by Bloomberg among others. Okah was freed on July 13. As well as being a factor for oil markets, the Reuters exclusive was flashed by media around the world.