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Niger Delta: Militants Vow Not to Release Hostages

Daily Trust (Abuja)
NEWS
February 23, 2006
Posted to the web February 23, 2006

By Isa Sanusi

The Niger Delta militants, holding nine foreign hostages, said yesterday that
they have no plans to release their captives soon and described the efforts of
the Federal government to secure their release as a waste of time.
The kidnapped oil workers, include three Americans, two Egyptians, two Thais,
one Briton and one Filipino, were seized on Saturday by militants belonging to
the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).
The militants, who are pressing for the release of two of the region's leaders
from prison and greater control of oil revenues, accused the federal government
of embarking on "time-wasting venture" in setting up a high-level negotiation
team.
"We have no immediate intention of setting these guys free," a spokesperson for
the group said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
Government officials weren't immediately available for comment.
Recent attacks by the militant group on oil facilities has cut production by
nearly 20 percent and sent prices soaring on international markets. Also on
Tuesday, the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said that the crisis in
Niger Delta may affect the implementation of this year's budget.
The militants say they plan to widen their campaign across the vast region of
swamps and creeks in South-south, where the militants said "people remain
deeply impoverished despite the great oil riches being pumped from beneath
them."
The militants blasted oil and gas pipelines and sabotaged a key oil loading
terminal belonging to Shell. That and an earlier attack has forced the company
to halt the flow of about 455,000 barrels a day which is about one-fifth of
daily crude output.
Last month, the militants held four foreigners for 19 days before releasing
them unharmed.
President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday allayed fears over the safety of the
hostage. Obasanjo through his spokesperson, Mrs. Oluremi Oyo expressed the
confidence that the committee headed by the Delta state Governor, James Ibori
will secure the release of the hostages.

   

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