The main militant group in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta said on Sunday it had begun a unilateral ceasefire after a week of attacks on oil installations which cut output in Africa's top producer, Reuters reported.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) launched strikes against pipelines, flow stations and other oil and gas facilities last Sunday in response to what it said were ground and air strikes by the military against one of its bases.
"Effective 0100 hours September 21, exactly one week after we launched our reprisal, MEND will begin a unilateral ceasefire till further notice," the group said in an e-mailed statement.
It said it had taken the decision after a plea by elders but warned that other groups aligned with it may not respect the ceasefire.
The attacks, which came almost every day for a week, have been the most intense for years against the oil industry in Nigeria, the world's eighth biggest exporter.
Royal Dutch Shell, the company hardest hit by the violence, declared a force majeure on Bonny Light oil shipments effective from Friday following the week's unrest, freeing it from contractual obligations.
Government officials have said production has fallen by 150,000 barrels per day over the past week due to the unrest.