Armed gunmen seized two expatriate oil workers – a Briton and an American – during a raid on a Norwegian oil services ship off Nigeria’s southern coast,
officials and the oil company said today.
The two were seized before dawn from a vessel belonging Oslo, Norway-based Petroleum Geo-Services, said company official Christopher Mollerlokk.
“I can confirm that two employees were kidnapped. One is a UK national and the other an American,” Mollerlokk said by telephone from Oslo. He gave no
further details.
The company issued a statement saying the rest of the crew aboard the ship were safe and there were no reports of injuries.
The company said it was hoping to make contact with the hostage-takers.
“PGS are currently doing everything possible to solve this unfortunate situation,” the company said.
“Currently PGS have had no demands from the kidnappers. The company hopes that contact can soon be established with the hostage-takers and is
co-ordinating efforts to bring this situation to a quick and successful conclusion.”
The ship, the HD Commander, was attacked shortly after midnight while it was anchored near the Funiwa Platform off the coast of Bayelsa State, the statement said.
A security official who works for a large multinational oil company in Nigeria said the gunmen had sped away in boats with the hostages. He said the oil company was surveying potential oil fields at the time. He declined
to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media.
Government officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
There was no claim of responsibility and it was not known who carried out the attack.
Militants in Nigeria have launched a wave of kidnappings and attacks on oil facilities since the beginning of this year, forcing a 25% decrease in crude
oil production, adding to upward pressure on world oil prices.
Nigeria traditionally produces about 2.5 million barrels of oil daily, more than any other country in Africa.
The militants say they are fighting for a greater share of oil wealth from oil companies and the government. They say people in the area remain impoverished while oil is drawn from their land.
Dozens of foreigners have been kidnapped this year. The hostage-takings have usually ended peacefully, with those seized being set free after negotiations.
It was the second hostage-taking involving Petroleum Geo-Services in recent months.
In June, two Filipinos working for the Norwegian oil-field services company were held hostage for five days by unidentified gunmen. They were taken captive as they inspected barges in the Niger Delta, where
most of this African oil giant’s petroleum is pumped.
Both were released unharmed.