Niger Delta militants' Governors, ex-ministers 'are behind them.

A former federal lawmaker and strong voice from the North, Dr Junaid Mohammed, has reportedly claimed that governors and ex-ministers are behind Niger Delta militants, who have over the past weeks, continued to vandalize oil facilities in the region.

Mohammed, who spoke during an interview with The Sun, said it was clear that the Niger Delta militants were being sponsored by some politicians in the South-south.

"In fact some of them are governors and former ministers; their identities and known. Many of them are not even living in the area, they live in Abuja and Lagos," Mohammed was quoted as saying.

Last week Nigeria's government ordered the military to halt attacks in the oil-producing south and urged militants to halt bombings to allow a dialogue, but the Niger Delta Avengers have refused negotiations.