More hostages freed in Nigeria

2006-08-15 22:13

Lagos - Two Ukrainian and two Norwegian oil workers kidnapped a week ago in southern Nigeria were released on Tuesday, said police, the day after five other foreign workers were freed in oil city Port Harcourt.

Bayelsa police boss, Hafiz Ringim said: "Yes, they have been released and they are on their way to Abuja."

He declined to give further details.

The four oil workers, whose identities were not disclosed, were kidnapped on August 8 in southern Bayelsa State.

Their release followed the freeing of five others on Monday in oil city Port Harcourt, capital of nearby Rivers State, said officials.

Belgian national Frederic Debruyn and Moroccan Nasri Bouchaib - seized in Port Harcourt last August 10 - and three Filipinos, Cornelio Fallaria, Daniel Monteagudo and Alberto Torres, captured on Bonny Island on August 3, were received on Monday by state officials in Port Harcourt.

40 expatriate oil workers abducted

However, on Monday in Port Harcourt four oil workers - a Briton, an Irishman, a German and an American - were abducted from a popular bar in the centre of the city," said the police.

Since the beginning of the year, separatist militants have stepped up their campaign for greater benefits from the oil proceeds for local communities and in protest against environmental devastation.

About 40 expatriate oil workers have been abducted and released after spending days or weeks in captivity.

Nigeria, a nation of 130 million people, is the world's sixth biggest crude exporter with a daily output of 2.6 million barrels, a quarter of which is currently lost because of unrest.

- AP