Gunmen kidnap eight oil workers in Nigeria

By Austin Ekeinde

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria (Reuters) - Gunmen have kidnapped eight oil workers in three separate incidents in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta in the past 24 hours, security sources said on Friday.

The first attack happened late on Thursday when 11 Russians and a Ukrainian were seized onboard a vessel off the island of Bonny. Some were released on Friday but five are still being held, according to a top security chief in the delta.

"We have not heard any more from the kidnappers since then," a private security contractor working in the oil industry said.

He said the vessel was working for Italian oilfield services company Saipem SpA.

The second attack happened early on Friday in the main oil industry hub of Port Harcourt, when more than a dozen men in speedboats kidnapped two oil engineers, one from the Philippines and one Nigerian, the security contractor said.

The men were on a vessel working for Damas Oil and Marine Services, an offshore oil services firm, when they were taken. No ransom had yet been demanded, the security contractor said.

A state security source, who asked not to be identified, confirmed a Filipino and a Nigerian had been kidnapped.

In the third incident, another Filipino was seized on land in Port Harcourt while going to buy roasted corn. No contact had been made with the kidnappers, security sources said.