Eight foreign oil workers have been kidnapped from an offshore oil rig in Nigeria, the rig's owner says. The Nigerian military says six Britons, a Canadian and a US national were seized by armed men in the Niger Delta. No-one has admitted responsibility. The rig sent out a distress call, saying it was under attack from between 20 and 30 men in speedboats.
There has been a spate of recent attacks in the region by militants, who want more local control of oil wealth. They have kidnapped oil workers and warned them to leave the Delta. The upsurge of attacks on foreign oil interests has cut Nigeria's oil production by 25% - a key factor in the high world price of crude oil.
"Some unknown persons boarded the rig at 0300 [local time, 0200 GMT] and took eight workers," an executive from one of the companies that operate the Bulford Dolphin rig told Reuters news agency. The rig, which is owned by the Norwegian company Fred Olsen Energy ASA, is about 20km off the coast of Warri. A British Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman said: "We are in touch with both the Nigerian authorities and the men's company and are making urgent efforts to find out more information." |