Gunmen Kidnap Five in Akwa Ibom, AFREN Offshore Oil Rig

Gunmen have attacked an offshore oil rig operated by exploration firm AFREN, kidnapping five crew members including foreigners and injuring two others.

The attack took place yesterday night in the shallow-water Okoro oilfield off the Obolo local government area of Akwa Ibom State.

AFREN says that two crew members are stable after receiving wounds to the leg, and have been evacuated by helicopter to a shore-based clinic.

An unidentified security source adds that those kidnapped were believed to be two French nationals, two U.S. citizens and one Canadian national, though there was no confirmation of this from the security services or AFREN.

The high island vii jackup rig had recently arrived in the Okoro field and was preparing to begin drilling.

The company says there has been a second security breach at a support vessel but that both the rig and the vessel are now under its control.

Meanwhile, Militants in Nigeria's southern Niger Delta have published details of seven foreign hostages kidnapped from an oil rig this week, saying they were in good health but would be in its custody "for a while".

The MEND detailed the names, organisation and nationalities of the hostages as reproduced below.
Name Employer Nationality
James Robertson------Transocean-----------USA
Jeffrey James-----------Transocean --------------USA
Patrick Weber-----------Transocean--

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