Britain says seven oil workers kidnapped in Nigeria.

Sioux City Journal ^ | Associated Press

[ConservativeMan55]

Britain says seven oil workers kidnapped in Nigeria

LONDON (AP) -- The British Foreign Office said Friday that seven oil workers have been abducted in Nigeria.

A Briton, two Colombians and an Australia were confirmed among the hostages, and the Foreign Office said a Russian also was believed abducted.

It was not yet clear who kidnapped them, the office said. But hostage-takings are common in Nigeria's oil delta, where activists and thugs frequently target oil companies with sabotage, kidnappings and other attacks in a bid to extort payoffs. The hostages are rarely harmed.

The British worker, whose identity was not released, was kidnapped Thursday in the southeastern Warri region where he worked for a firm that contracted staff to oil companies, a Foreign Office spokesman said.

"We are speaking to local authorities to find out what has happened and who the perpetrators were," the spokesman said.

Bredero Shaw, a pipeline coating company for which at least three of the victims reportedly worked, said the kidnapping had taken place as the workers tested an evacuation boat on the river behind the plant.

No details were available of exactly what happened.

Colombia said two of its nationals, both of whom worked for Bredero Shaw, were kidnapped, and Australia confirmed a 27-year-old Australian was among those seized. Britain said a Russian was believed to have been abducted.

The British man also reportedly worked for Bredero Shaw.

Bredero Shaw's safety manager Ted Scheffey said one of the hostages had been freed, but did not identify him by name or nationality.

"It is our understanding that the remaining six have been treated well and not harmed," he said.

"Communications are currently under way between the captors and the Nigerian officials to secure the release of the others," he said.

[ConservativeMan55]

I thought this was of some interest. Could it be Al-Queda????

[ConservativeMan55]

Just released: New Al Qaeda Kidnap Guide to Force Release of Detainees in US, Saudi, Yemeni Hands.

[cyborg]

Sure. The islamofascists are dying to get control there.

[John H K]

All of the oil is in the Southern, coastal region of Nigeria, and Southern Nigeria is basically 100% Christian. The Northern half of Nigeria (which has no oil) is Muslim.

Sabotage, theft and kidnappings (typically with the hostages being released) are routine among the tribes in the oil region that feel that they aren't getting their share of money from the oil.

[cpdiii]

It was happening 20 years ago and still is. Lagos, Nigeria is something out of Dante's inferno. Unless you have been there you can not imagine the disease, death, corruption, smell and squalor. Above all in Nigeria, life has little value.