BBC: More oil staff seized in Nigeria

9 August 2006


Shipping company Trico Marine Services TRMA.O confirmed four workers were kidnapped on Wednesday. "We will not come out with more information than that four of our crew were taken from a ship off Nigeria," managing director Bjoern Endresen told Reuters news agency. He said no demands had been made. The Norwegian government confirmed the men had been kidnapped, AFP news agency reports.

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RIA Novosti: Two Ukrainian, Norwegian sailors kidnapped in Nigerian waters

09/ 08/ 2006


The sailors were kidnapped off the Nigerian coast when the assailants attempted to seize an oil platform in the latest incident involving foreigners to affect the African state.

"A group of unidentified assailants kidnapped on early August 9 four crew members - two Ukrainians and two Norwegians - from a Norwegian vessel, the Northern Comrade, which was servicing oil production platforms," the ministry said.

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Italian oil facility shut down

06/11/2006


Armed protesters have overrun and shut down an oil facility run by Italian oil firm Agip in the latest violence to hit Africa's biggest crude producer, says a government official. A senior official from the local state environment department said the protesters invaded the Tebidaba oil pumping station ran by Agip in southern Bayelsa State and forced workers to shut it down.

On Friday, the United States Consulate in Nigeria's main city, Lagos, issued an email circular saying militants were planning a major new wave of attacks and kidnappings for the next few days that could include up to 20 simultaneous bombings across the oil-rich delta region.

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Nigeria Militants Plan Attacks Outside Delta Region - US Government


A Nigerian militant group is planning attacks in regions outside their previous target areas in the Niger Delta, the U.S. government said Friday.

The U.S. Consulate General in Lagos said in a statement: "Possible targets could include expatriate personnel, Western businesses or facilities and locales visited by tourists and foreigners in other regions of Nigeria."

It added attacks and kidnappings may become more violent than in previous months.

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16 May 2007

Militants have attacked the country residence of the Vice-President-elect Goodluck Jonathan, in the oil-rich Niger Delta in a dawn speedboat attack.

The attackers also blew up a nearby police station. Two policemen died in the raid.

No group has claimed responsibility so far for the attack. Mr Jonathan was not in the house at the time, say sources.

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12/11/2007


Troops repelled an armed attack on one of Nigeria's largest oil export terminals on Monday, industry sources and officials said.

It was the third raid on a major oil facility in Africa's largest producer since the arrest of a militant leader in September, but exports from the company's 400 000 barrel-per-day Qua Iboe terminal were not affected.

"Eight boats of militants armed with machine guns took part in the attack," one industry source said.

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A well-known Nigerian militant group said Friday it detonated a remote explosive device that caused a fire on a tanker and said it got help carrying out the attack from people in the energy industry and Nigeria's intelligence services.

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A militant group comprised of various factions and thugs, MEND recently warned of new attacks against the energy sector after peace talks with the government broke down following about a seven-month lull in assaults against energy infrastructure and employees.

"MEND salutes the patriotic agents and also use this opportunity to commend our friends inside the military and secret service for valuable information and resources," the group said in its statement.

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