A FOREIGN OIL CONTRACTOR WAS KIDNAPPED IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA ON WEDNESDAY, THE SIXTH FOREIGN WORKER IN AFRICA'S BIGGEST OIL EXPORTER TO BE ABDUCTED IN TWO WEEKS, INDUSTRY SOURCES SAID, REUTERS REPORTED. THE KIDNAPPING OF THE MAN FROM HIS CAR ON A ROAD CLOSE TO THE BORDER BETWEEN RIVERS AND BAYELSA STATES IN THE NIGER DELTA BRINGS TO ABOUT 17 THE NUMBER OF FOREIGN OIL WORKERS SEIZED THIS MONTH. NINE HAVE SO FAR BEEN RELEASED. "A FOREIGN OIL WORKER WAS KIDNAPPED AT MBIAMA," SAID AN INDUSTRY SOURCE ASKING NOT TO BE NAMED. DIPLOMATIC AND INDUSTRY SOURCES SAID THE MAN WAS LEBANESE AND WAS WORKING AS A CONTRACTOR ON A GAS PROJECT. TWO NORWEGIAN AND TWO UKRAINIAN OIL WORKERS WERE FREED ON TUESDAY, A WEEK AFTER BEING KIDNAPPED FROM A SHIP SERVICING AN OFFSHORE OIL RIG OPERATED BY PEAK PETROLEUM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EQUATOR EXPLORATION. ALSO ON TUESDAY, PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO ANNOUNCED A CRACKDOWN ON VIOLENCE AND HOSTAGE-TAKING, CONCENTRATED IN THE OIL-PRODUCING NIGER DELTA. "WE ARE GOING TO BE FIRM AND SAY NO TO VIOLENCE AND HOSTAGE-TAKING. WHEREVER WE FIND HOSTAGE-TAKERS NOW, WE WILL HUNT THEM DOWN. WE WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS ANY LONGER," OBASANJO SAID IN A STATEMENT AFTER MEETING SECURITY CHIEFS AND POLITICAL LEADERS FROM THE DELTA.
