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FRIDAY, 08 august 2008
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[14.05.2008 15:47] Oil ship hijacked in Niger Delta, a Ukrainian taken as hostageGunmen in Nigeria`s oil-rich Niger Delta have hijacked a ship belonging to an US company and kidnapped its crew, according to BBC. The militants are demanding a ransom of 30m naira ($259,000) for the boat and the crew, a military spokesman said. The vessel, which ferries supplies for the oil company Chevron, was hijacked on Tuesday night near Port Harcourt. Nine Nigerians, a Portuguese and a Ukrainian were sailing the vessel when the gunmen boarded it, according to military spokesman Lt Sagir Musa. Nobody has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. Nigeria is Africa`s biggest oil producing nation, but frequent pipeline bombings and other attacks by militants demanding a bigger share of the profits have reduced output by 25%. The remote and inaccessible creeks of the Delta are also home to criminal gangs who seize oil workers and attack pipelines for money. Piracy in Nigeria`s waters has also increased in the last two years, making its the most dangerous shipping area in the world.
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