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21 February, 2006
Nigerian oil workers' unions PENGASSAN and NUPENG today held a joint press conference in Lagos to vehemently demand nine oil-service contractors be released unharmed immediately.
"We warn the perpetrators of this criminal act to desist from hostage taking as this is entirely against our domestic and international laws and conventions which Nigeria has ratified," stated PENGASSAN President Peter Esele and NUPENG President Peter Akpatason.
The joint press conference by the ICEM-affiliated unions also produced sharp criticism at the government. "It is sad to mention that a government, which has a good part of its national budget spent in defense, cannot equip its security operations to protect the lives of innocent workers," added Esele. The joint statement by the two unions said the government's "lukewarm attitude towards job creation and empowering the youths of the Niger Delta" is a major part of the problem.
The expatriate employees of US-based Wilbros, a Shell contractor working the Escravos-Lagos pipeline in the Niger Delta, were kidnapped from a barge on 18 February. Renegade militiamen also exploded oil installations in and around the Forcados Oil Terminal platform at the time of the kidnappings.