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At least two oil vessels have been attacked by pirates in Nigeria in the offshore waters of the Niger Delta on Saturday, briefly capturing a number of oil workers including seven French citizens, according to security sources.
The vessel Bourbon Ajax was seized early on Saturday by gunmen in the oil-producing delta, also taking 10 Nigerians on board hostage, two private security sources said.
The captives and the vessel were freed a short time later. One security source stated the boat was contracted by Canada's Addax. The French workers were confirmed safe by a French embassy spokesman in Nigeria.
Since early 2006, insecurity in the hub of Africa's largest oil and gas industry has shut down around a fifth of the OPEC member's oil production. Security experts say that the Nigerian navy is ill equipped to cope with militants and pirates, who use small fast speedboats to travel through the delta's narrow creeks, forcing oil companies to take their own extra security measures.
Foreign oil firms regularly employ private security contractors in southern Nigeria but are often vigilant about open relationships with the military, whom in the past have been accused of human rights abuses by militant and rights groups.
A second oil vessel in the delta was also hit by pirates, but the ship was able to get away with only bullet holes to the hull, a security source said. The boat is thought to be under contract with French oil giant Total.
In a third incident, a security source said an unidentified vessel was attacked with pirates stealing money, cellular phones, and other valuables from the passengers.
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