LAGOS, Dec. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjoon Thursday ordered that all defense and security personnel in the southern oil-rich Niger Delta be placed in a state of "high alert" after two pipeline explosions that reportedly left 16 people killed, a presidential statement said.

    "The president gave the order at a meeting with senior members of the nation's security and intelligence communities," the statement said. "The meeting was called to review the security situation in the Niger Delta following two pipelines explosions in the region in the past few days." Enditem