The four expatriate oil workers held hostage by the Niger Delta militants since December 7,
are starting the new year with the armed men in the creek.
The expatriates were kidnapped at the terminal of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company at Twon-Brass, headquarters of Brass Local Government area of Bayelsa State.
The whereabouts of three Italians, Messrs. Francesco Arena, Cosma Russo and Roberto Dieghi, who work for the Italian energy giant, ENI, which owns Agip, as well as a Lebanese, Mr. Imad Saliba, employed in the company�s catering department, remained unknown as at press time.
In spite of last week�s meeting between President Olusegun Obasanjo and ENI�s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Paolo Scaroni, the militant youths� position remained unchanged. The two sides ruled out armed action to free the hostages, which might lead to bloodbath and kidnap of more expatriate oil workers.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta claimed responsibility for the attack on the oil facility, which led to the death of a male youth from Twon-Brass, while cars, speed boats and houses were set ablaze by the militants.
MEND declared that the group, which was not after ransom, was not ready to negotiate with either the state government or Agip and that the four expatriates would only be released after the two detained Ijaw leaders were set free.
The Ijaw leaders are the former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who is standing trial for alleged money laundering and the leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, being tried for treason.