NIGERIAN KIDNAPPERS FREED TWO FILIPINO OIL WORKERS ON SUNDAY, FIVE DAYS AFTER SEIZING THEM IN THE SOUTHERN NIGER DELTA WHERE A SIX-MONTH WAVE OF ABDUCTIONS AND ATTACKS HAS CRIPPLED AFRICA'S BIGGEST OIL INDUSTRY, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. SPOKESMEN FOR RIVERS STATE, WHERE THE MEN WERE CAPTURED ON TUESDAY BY SIX GUNMEN IN A SPEEDBOAT, GAVE NO DETAILS ON THE KIDNAPPERS OR THEIR DEMANDS. ABDUCTIONS FOR RANSOM ARE COMMON IN THE DELTA BUT DETAILS OF PAYMENTS ARE NEVER MADE PUBLIC. "THE HOSTAGES HAVE JUST BEEN RELEASED AND THEY HAVE BEEN HANDED OVER TO THE VICE-CONSUL OF THE PHILIPPINES IN NIGERIA," SAID BLESSING NWIKINNA, A SPOKESMAN FOR RIVERS STATE. HE ADDED THAT THE MEN WERE IN GOOD HEALTH. THE NIGER DELTA PRODUCES ALL OF NIGERIA'S 2.4 MILLION BARRELS OF OIL DAILY, BUT IMPOVERISHED LOCAL COMMUNITIES HAVE SEEN LITTLE BENEFIT FROM DECADES OF OIL PRODUCTION. THIS HAS CAUSED AN INCREASINGLY VIOLENT BACKLASH AGAINST THE INDUSTRY.
