Gunmen attacked an oil rig Wednesday in Nigeria's restive southern oil heartland and seized five expatriate workers, officials said according to The Associated Press. Rivers state Police Commissioner Felix Ogbaudu said the attack came after midnight at a drilling rig on one of the countless islands in the vast riverine delta region where Africa's biggest oil producer pumps its crude. He said an Australian, two New Zealanders, one Lebanese and one Venezuelan were taken. Royal Dutch Shell said it owned the rig, but that there were no production cuts reported. The spokesman for a top militant gang, whose one-month cease-fire ended Tuesday, said their group was not responsible. Criminal kidnappings have become common in the region where the crude in Africa's biggest producer is pumped. More than a dozen foreigners are currently in captivity. Hostages are generally released unharmed after a ransom is paid although at least two have been killed in shoot-outs with security forces.
