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Nigerian militants kidnap expats | |
(20 minutes later) | |
Five eastern European oil workers have been kidnapped by Nigerian militants, security officials have told the BBC. | Five eastern European oil workers have been kidnapped by Nigerian militants, security officials have told the BBC. |
Twelve workers from Ukraine and Russia were on board a boat that was attacked while in international waters off the Niger Delta, but seven have been freed. | Twelve workers from Ukraine and Russia were on board a boat that was attacked while in international waters off the Niger Delta, but seven have been freed. |
The boat, which belongs to the Saipem oil services company, was attacked about 85 nautical miles from the coast, after it had left its naval escort. | The boat, which belongs to the Saipem oil services company, was attacked about 85 nautical miles from the coast, after it had left its naval escort. |
A spate of attacks on the oil sector has cut Nigeria's production by 25%. | A spate of attacks on the oil sector has cut Nigeria's production by 25%. |
The boat has also been freed and is on its way back to the region's main city, Port Harcourt, the officials say. | |
This is one of the attacks carried out furthest from Nigeria's coast, correspondents say. | |
Until recently, they have usually operated on land or in the creeks of the Niger Delta. | |
Nigeria's oil militants say they are campaigning for more of the country's oil wealth to be used to benefit residents of the Niger Delta. | |
But correspondents say there are also many criminal gangs motivated by the ransom money often paid by oil companies to secure the release of their workers. | |
Earlier this week, the head of Nigeria's state-owned oil company told a parliamentary enquiry it had paid $12m to oil militants to prevent them attacking a pipeline. |
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