In the second Nigerian hostage situation in a month, 88 ChevronTexaco workers were being held hostage on an oil rig off Nigeria by militant local youths. The oil company said 22 youths from the local community stormed the rig on April 21, and there were about 40 raiders on the platform on April 23. The rig is five miles off the town of Escravos. Company officials said the men had blocked off the helicopter landing deck, forestalling a rescue attempt. Reports say the youths did not appear to be armed and that the rig workers were not under threat. ChevronTexaco said it contacted the government and local community leaders for help and that talks were being arranged with the youths for April 24.
In early April, 10 sub-contractors for Shell were taken hostage by militants and later freed unharmed.
