Since 2006, militant groups in Nigeria's Niger Delta, especially the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), have resorted to taking foreign employees of oil companies hostage as part of the conflict in the Niger Delta. More than 200 foreigners have been kidnapped since 2006, though most were released unharmed. The following is a list of known hostages taken. Jan.10: Militants kidnap 4 foreign workers from an offshore platform, and release them January 30.

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dbpprop:abstract
  • Since 2006, militant groups in Nigeria's Niger Delta, especially the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), have resorted to taking foreign employees of oil companies hostage as part of the conflict in the Niger Delta. More than 200 foreigners have been kidnapped since 2006, though most were released unharmed. The following is a list of known hostages taken. Jan.10: Militants kidnap 4 foreign workers from an offshore platform, and release them January 30. February 18: MEND rebels attack an oil barge and seize 9 hostages: 3 Americans, 2 Egyptians, 2 Thais, a Filipino, and a Britain. All but two Americans and a Britain are released March 1; the three others are released March 27. May 11: Vito Macrina, an Italian, and two other employees of Saipem are abducted and freed the next day. October 3: A militant group abducted four Scots, a Malaysian, an Indonesian and a Romanian from a bar in Akwa Ibom state. Jan. 10: Nine South Koreans and one Nigerian working for Daewoo Engineering and Construction in Yenagoa are abducted, but are freed Jan. 12. May 1: MEND seized six expatriate workers from an offshore oil facility owned by Chevron. The group of six consisted of four Italians, an American and a Croat. On the same day, MEND published photos of the captives seated on white plastic chairs in a wooden shelter around the remains of a campfire. May 3:, MEND seized eight foreign hostages from another offshore vessel. The hostages were released less than 24 hours later, stating they had intended to destroy the vessel and did not want more hostages. May 25: The pipe lay barge LB300 (owned by Transcostal Off Shore) was attacked a few hundred meter off the Sangana community coastline, near the Aunty Juli Platform. Two high powered speed boats were used in the attack (4 had originally left the Militant camp but two capsized in the heavy shore break at the river mouth leading into the creeks). The barge sustained heavy fire from automatic weapons before being boarded. 200 rounds were later recovered from the accommodation unit. Seven crew members were taken including the Dive Supervisor, two divers, the deck foreman, tower operator. The support vessel MV Carradock was also chased and boarded, sustaining considerable damage to the bridge. Several crew members were taken. The hostages were held in two camps one of which is known as " Youth Shall Grow". The hostages were held for 19 days in basic conditions and were on occasions subjected to mock executions. MEND claimed responsibility and at one point announced to the National press that all the hostages were to be executed. All hostages were eventually released unharmed but suffering from Malaria. Their release was as the result of behind closed door negotiations. The Nigerian Government denied that any ransom was paid though this contradicts what was observed at the hand over. The exact details of the deal have never been disclosed, though there are a variety of rumors circulating in the oil industry. The Hostages included the first ever South African kidnapped in Nigeria, four Britons and American Nationals, and one Nigerian national. All the divers were Employees of Hydrodive, and have since returned to work in Nigeria. July 8: A Bulgarian and a Briton working for Exprogroup were abducted from a barge near Calabar in Cross River state. They were released August 8. September 9: British oil workers Robin Barry Hughes and Matthew John Maguire were kidnapped along with 27 other workers when their vessel was hijacked by MEND militants. They were still being held hostage as of February 2009, and one of them was reported to be "very ill. " Both have since been released. Jan. 21: Rebels from the Niger Delta attacked the tanker MT Meredith, filled with diesel fuel, and kidnapped a Romanian worker. April 16: Julie Ann Mulligan, a Canadian in Nigeria on a Rotary International exchange was taken hostage April 16, and C$$700,00 was demanded before the hostage takers went down to $136,000 before releasing her on Wed. April 29. Mulligan came home Friday May 1.
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rdfs:comment
  • Since 2006, militant groups in Nigeria's Niger Delta, especially the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), have resorted to taking foreign employees of oil companies hostage as part of the conflict in the Niger Delta. More than 200 foreigners have been kidnapped since 2006, though most were released unharmed. The following is a list of known hostages taken. Jan.10: Militants kidnap 4 foreign workers from an offshore platform, and release them January 30.
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  • Foreign hostages in Nigeria
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