voa标准英语2008年-Nigerian Soldiers Jailed for Life for Arms Sale

Six Nigerian soldiers have been sentenced to life imprisonment¹ for selling guns and other weapons to militants² and criminals in the Niger Delta³. Prosecutors⁴ said the arms sales had contributed to the violence in the oil-rich region. For VOA, Gilbert da Costa filed this report from Abuja.

Security experts and rights groups have long accused some members of the security forces of secretly selling arms to militants and criminals in the Niger Delta.

A Nigerian army panel, which sat in the northern city of Kaduna, convicted the six soldiers for theft of 7,000 military assault rifles, sub-machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades between 2003 and 2007. The weaponry, worth around $1 million, was sold to militants.

Army spokesman General Emeka Onwamaegbu said the trial process was not over yet, and that the convicted soldiers could face more charges.

"I can assure you with all confidence that all our other facilities where we keep weapons are quite well protected," he said. "All those who were investigated are being tried. However, their trial is not over. They have just been sentenced on the charges that were brought against them. There are still other charges that they are standing⁵ trial for now."

Nigeria is battling an insurgency⁶ that has curtailed⁷ output in the oil-rich Niger Delta. Militants have kidnapped more than 200 local and foreign oil workers and destroyed several oil and gas pipelines⁸ and other facilities.

Efforts are being made by the government to increase the speed of development in the region.

Rebel groups have called for a more equitable⁹ distribution of the country's oil wealth. Nigeria is the world's eighth largest oil exporter, but militants' raids have cut shipment by a fifth.

The Nigerian government faces a new challenge from spiraling crime in the oil-producing Niger Delta.

1 imprisonment   

n.关押，监禁，坐牢

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

4 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

7 curtailed   

v.截断，缩短( curtail的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Spending on books has been severely curtailed. 购书开支已被大大削减。
• Their public health programme had to be severely curtailed. 他们的公共卫生计划不得不大大收缩。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

9 equitable   

adj.公平的；公正的

参考例句：

• This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
• Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。