Africa News

Niger Delta militants hijack Chevron vessel

May 14, 2008, 15:07 GMT

Abuja - Niger Delta militants have seized a vessel belonging to United States oil giant, Chevron, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, spokesman of special troops deployed to provide security in the region, said Wednesday. He said the vessel was carrying a Portuguese citizen, a Ukrainian and nine Nigerians when it was seized. No group has claimed responsibility for the seizure, he said. The vessel was seized while sailing from Onne port in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Escravos in Delta State, Sagir said. He said the vessel might be carrying supplies and other essential materials for the Escravos oil production Platform when the militants struck. He said that though the exact location of its seizure was not known, it was suspected to have been taken at Krakrama area near Fouche Island, some 30 nautical miles from Port Harcourt. 'The militants are demanding a ransom of 250,000 dollars for the release of the vessel and the occupants,' Sagir said. Kidnapping and destruction of oil production facilities in the Niger Delta has contributed to the sky-rocketing of prices of crude oil in the international market. Militants in the region claim they engage in kidnapping and vandalism to drive home a demand made on the Nigerian government to allow people of the impoverished Niger Delta region have a greater say in the affairs of its oil and gas deposits.

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