Nigerian strikers will release hostages
Striking Nigerian workers will release hundreds of hostages they have been holding on oil rigs off the west African nation’s shore, negotiators said tonight
The agreement securing the release of the more than 250 captives was struck between the owner of the four oil rigs and the Nigerian hostage-takers’ designated negotiators.
“Any moment from now, all those on the rigs will leave,” said the secretary general of Nigeria’s biggest oil workers union, Joseph Akinlaja, who aided in the negotiations.
Peter Akpatason, another Nigerian union official, confirmed that an agreement was reached. “The dispute has been resolved,” he said.
Details of when and how the hostages will leave the oil installations are under arrangement, Akinlaja said.
Talks on Wednesday stalled as the owner of the rigs, US company Transocean, and union negotiators failed to agree on the fate of five Nigerian employees, fired last month.
Nigeria sent troops on warships to the area but refrained from storming the rigs – which lie 23 miles off the southern coast – after Transocean assured the navy that the situation has eased.
“But our ships are still patrolling the area just in case our intervention is required,” said spokesman Shinebi Hungiapuk.
A pilot for a private helicopter company said he and other crew members had been asked to be ready for a possible air evacuation.
Sabotage and hostage-takings by community activists, labour groups and thugs demanding compensation for land use and alleged environmental damage are relatively common in the southern Niger Delta, where nearly all of Nigeria’s oil is drilled.
Hostages rarely are harmed.
Despite the region’s rich petroleum stores, most of its residents remain desperately poor.
