Nigerian youths hold rig workers hostage
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Five Britons have been taken hostage by raiders on an oil rig off the coast of Nigeria, British consular officials said.
Five Britons have been taken hostage by raiders on an oil rig off the coast of Nigeria, British consular officials said.
The workers are among up to 99 people who have been held for at least three days on the rig sub–contracted to Anglo–Dutch oil giant Shell.
The rig was stormed by a group of militant youths from a nearby local community in southern Nigeria.
Alex McCann, duty officer at the Deputy High Commission in Lagos, confirmed that five British expatriate workers were being held hostage.
Negotiations were under way between Shell and the raiders to secure the captives' safe release.
The others being held are believed to include five Americans, three Australians, a South African and a Trinidadian, while the rest are Nigerians.
A Shell spokeswoman said: "A group of youths from a local community went on to the Trident rig, which is in a shallow offshore site.
"They are still there and we are negotiating and hopefully we can get this resolved as quickly as possible."
The spokeswoman added that similar incidents had happened before, although "not often".
The rig is owned by American company Transocean Sedco Forex, the world's largest offshore drilling company.
The firm, based in Houston, Texas, provides contract drilling services for oil and gas wells.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments