The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said on Sunday it had released around 19 Nigerian oil workers kidnapped last month but was still holding two Britons and a Ukrainian.
More than 200 foreigners have been kidnapped since early 2006. Below is a chronology of recent kidnappings.
May 23, 2008 - Two foreign employees of oil services company Lonestar, one from Pakistan and one from Malta, were kidnapped at Omoku in the Niger Delta. They were released on June 26.
-- June 3 - Gunmen kidnapped two Lebanese employees of Setraco, a local engineering company, near the town of Amassoma.
-- June 19 - MEND claimed responsibility for an attack on Royal Dutch Shell's Bonga oilfield off the coast of Nigeria. The rebels warned of further attacks and kidnapped Jack Stone, the U.S. captain of a nearby supply ship. He was later released.
-- June 26 - A Portuguese and a Ukrainian national, among 11 crew members taken on May 13 from an oil supply vessel contracted to U.S. oil firm Chevron, were released.
-- July 11 - Two Germans, employees of construction firm Julius Berger, a Nigerian unit of Germany's Bilfinger Berger, were kidnapped at Emohua in Rivers state. On July 20 the company announced it was pulling out of the Delta.
-- July 24 - Gunmen took 11 Russians and a Ukrainian in an attack on a vessel off Bonny Island. Some were released the next day. The last five were released on July 28.
-- July 25 - Gunmen in speedboats kidnapped two oil engineers, one from the Philippines and one Nigerian, in Port Harcourt. They were employed by Damas Oil and Marine Services. Another Filipino was seized on land while buying food.
-- July 26 - Eight Russian, Latvian and Lithuanian men were seized from a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker off the mouth of the Bonny river in the Niger delta. They were released late on the same day.
Aug 26 - Four gunmen abducted an Israeli project manager in Port Harcourt. He worked for Israeli construction firm Gilmor Engineering Limited. He was released on Sept 1.
Sept 6 - Two French expatriates, kidnapped on Aug. 2 after gunmen ambushed patrons at a bar in Onne in Rivers state, were freed. At least three people were killed in the incident.
Sept 9 - Two Britons, two South Africans and a Ukrainian were kidnapped from an oil supply vessel, the H.D. Blue Ocean, which was hijacked at the entrance of the Sambreiro River in the delta. The South Africans were released.
Sept 15 - David Melford, a British national and former employee of the petrochemicals firm Indo Rama, was kidnapped in Port Harcourt. He was released on Oct. 4
Oct 4 - Gunmen kidnapped six Filipino workers during an attack on an oil service vessel between Port Harcourt and Bonny.
More than 200 foreigners have been kidnapped since early 2006. Below is a chronology of recent kidnappings.
May 23, 2008 - Two foreign employees of oil services company Lonestar, one from Pakistan and one from Malta, were kidnapped at Omoku in the Niger Delta. They were released on June 26.
-- June 3 - Gunmen kidnapped two Lebanese employees of Setraco, a local engineering company, near the town of Amassoma.
-- June 19 - MEND claimed responsibility for an attack on Royal Dutch Shell's Bonga oilfield off the coast of Nigeria. The rebels warned of further attacks and kidnapped Jack Stone, the U.S. captain of a nearby supply ship. He was later released.
-- June 26 - A Portuguese and a Ukrainian national, among 11 crew members taken on May 13 from an oil supply vessel contracted to U.S. oil firm Chevron, were released.
-- July 11 - Two Germans, employees of construction firm Julius Berger, a Nigerian unit of Germany's Bilfinger Berger, were kidnapped at Emohua in Rivers state. On July 20 the company announced it was pulling out of the Delta.
-- July 24 - Gunmen took 11 Russians and a Ukrainian in an attack on a vessel off Bonny Island. Some were released the next day. The last five were released on July 28.
-- July 25 - Gunmen in speedboats kidnapped two oil engineers, one from the Philippines and one Nigerian, in Port Harcourt. They were employed by Damas Oil and Marine Services. Another Filipino was seized on land while buying food.
-- July 26 - Eight Russian, Latvian and Lithuanian men were seized from a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker off the mouth of the Bonny river in the Niger delta. They were released late on the same day.
Aug 26 - Four gunmen abducted an Israeli project manager in Port Harcourt. He worked for Israeli construction firm Gilmor Engineering Limited. He was released on Sept 1.
Sept 6 - Two French expatriates, kidnapped on Aug. 2 after gunmen ambushed patrons at a bar in Onne in Rivers state, were freed. At least three people were killed in the incident.
Sept 9 - Two Britons, two South Africans and a Ukrainian were kidnapped from an oil supply vessel, the H.D. Blue Ocean, which was hijacked at the entrance of the Sambreiro River in the delta. The South Africans were released.
Sept 15 - David Melford, a British national and former employee of the petrochemicals firm Indo Rama, was kidnapped in Port Harcourt. He was released on Oct. 4
Oct 4 - Gunmen kidnapped six Filipino workers during an attack on an oil service vessel between Port Harcourt and Bonny.
