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Dutch oil worker kidnapped by Nigerian villagers
AFP
ABUJA
Petroleumworld.com 07 07 06
A Dutch worker for British-based oil services company Westminster Dredging has been kidnapped by villagers in the Niger Delta, the centre of Nigeria's oil industry, the police said on Thursday.
"A Dutch citizen has been kidnapped by some community in Bayelsa (state) this morning. He works for Westminster Dredging company, that has been having problems with the community," federal police spokesman Haz Iwendi told AFP by telephone.
"Two suspects have been arrested and are currently (being) interrogated for useful information," he said.
He named the captive Dutchman as Michael Loss.
Westminster Dredging is part of Royal Boskalis Westminster Group, a Dutch-based group that describes itself as the world's largest dredging contractor.
Westminster Dredging has been subcontracted by Nigerian firm Julius Berger, which has a contract in the region with Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell, an oil industry official told AFP.
Since the beginning of the year, the Niger Delta region has seen a wave of attacks against foreign oil firms and their staff, launched by armed separatists and local communities who are demanding a larger share in oil revenues and compensation for the destruction of their ecosystem by oil exploration.
The violence has claimed the lives of two Nigerian workers and around 30 security officers.
More than 30 foreign oil workers have been kidnapped so far this year. All hostages have been released unharmed after spending several days in captivity.
Nigeria is the world's sixth crude oil exporter, with an average daily output of 2.6 million barrels. Most of the oil derives from the Niger Delta and unrest there has led to a 20-percent reduction in the country's total production.
The nation derives more than 95 percent of its foreign exchange earnings from oil.
AFP 06 1754 GMT 07 06
Copyright ©2006 AFP. All Rights Reserved.
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