▁based ▁in ▁Port ▁Har court ▁in ▁the ▁Niger ▁D elta . ▁U z ▁and ▁U z ▁Trans n ational , ▁a ▁company ▁with ▁a ▁strong ▁commit ment ▁to ▁the ▁Niger ▁D elta , ▁has ▁introduced ▁ways ▁of ▁developing ▁the ▁poor ▁in ▁the ▁Niger ▁D elta , ▁especially ▁in ▁R ivers ▁State . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁M END ▁released ▁a ▁statement ▁proc laim ing ▁that ▁their ▁milit ants ▁had ▁launched ▁an ▁" o il ▁war " ▁throughout ▁the ▁Niger ▁D elta ▁against ▁both , ▁pip elines ▁and ▁oil - production ▁facilities , ▁and ▁the ▁Niger ian ▁soldiers ▁that ▁protect ▁them . ▁Both ▁M END ▁and ▁the ▁Niger ian ▁Government ▁claim ▁to ▁have ▁inf lic ted ▁heavy ▁cas ual ties ▁on ▁one ▁another . ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁Niger ian ▁government ▁granted ▁am n esty ▁to ▁the ▁milit ants ; ▁many ▁milit ants ▁subsequently ▁surrender ed ▁their ▁weapons ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁a ▁president ial ▁p ardon , ▁re h abil itation ▁programme , ▁and ▁education . ▁ ▁Sub - reg ions ▁ ▁Western ▁Niger ▁D elta ▁Western ▁Niger ▁D elta ▁consists ▁of ▁the ▁western ▁section ▁of ▁coast al ▁South - S outh ▁Niger ia ▁which ▁includes ▁D elta , ▁and ▁the ▁southern most ▁parts ▁of ▁E do , ▁and ▁O nd o ▁States . ▁The ▁western ▁( or ▁Northern ) ▁Niger ▁D elta ▁is ▁an ▁heter ogeneous ▁society ▁with ▁several ▁eth nic ▁groups ▁including ▁the ▁Ur h ob o , ▁Is oko , ▁It