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Tuesday, 8 May 2007, 17:51 GMT 18:51 UK

'Pipelines hit' in Nigeria delta

Shell platform in Odidi, Niger Delta A militant group active in oil-rich southern Nigeria says it has bombed three oil pipelines in Bayelsa State.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) has carried out a number of attacks on oil facilities and abducted foreign workers.

The latest - eight Filipinos and three South Koreans kidnapped last week - were freed on Tuesday, sources said.

Mend wants a larger share of oil wealth. Its attacks cut production in Nigeria by more than 25% last year.

The price of oil in London is now up to more than $65 a barrel.

Easy targets

Government officials confirmed that the attacks had taken place in the Brass and Akassa areas without giving details of the damage caused.

MEND


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But a spokesman for the Italian oil company Eni told Reuters the attacks forced it to stop producing 150,000 barrels a day at its Brass export terminal.

The BBC's Alex Last in Nigeria says the pipelines are easy targets as an attack on a single pipeline can significantly affect production and exports.

The militants had earlier warned that they would step up attacks on oil installations in the region as "parting gift" to President Olusegun Obasanjo who stands down in three weeks time.

They say the attacks were also in pursuance of their resolve to cripple the Nigerian crude oil export industry.

The militants say they will continue their renewed campaign "indefinitely with attacks on all pipelines, platforms and support vessels".

The eight Filipinos and three South Koreans, all workers at Daewoo, had been taken at gunpoint from a heavily guarded compound last Thursday.

Their Nigerian driver was later released.

South Korean government officials said the freed hostages were well.

Nearly 100 foreign workers have been abducted this year.



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Related to this story:
Country profile: Nigeria (23 Apr 07 |  Country profiles )
Nigeria: Facts and figures (17 Apr 07 |  Africa )
The Nigerian Delta's troubled waters (20 Feb 06 |  Africa )
Tempting riches of Nigeria oil crime (30 Aug 06 |  Africa )
Elections highlight Delta woes (18 Apr 07 |  Africa )

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