Oil company executives are negotiating for the freedom of about 100 European and American oil workers held captive by their striking Nigerian colleagues on several oil rigs off the Nigerian coast. The oil workers have been trapped for two weeks on four rigs in deep waters south of Nigeria’s Niger River Delta region. They are unharmed and are being fed, but they are complaining of excessive heat and limited water supplies. Their striking Nigerian colleagues took control of one of the platforms on April 16 and the three others on the 19, preventing the foreigners from leaving. Spokesman Guy Cantwell of the US firm operating the rigs, Houston-based Transocean, says the company is trying to resolve the matter through Nigeria’s court system. “We have 100 Nigerian employees who are striking on four rigs,” he explained. “They are in the process of being served by court injunctions from the High Court in Lagos, Nigeria ordering them to leave the rigs. And we are working with the government authorities and everyone else to resolve this as quickly as possible, everyone else meaning the national union members who do not support the strike.” Full Story
About OODA Analyst
OODA is comprised of a unique team of international experts capable of providing advanced intelligence and analysis, strategy and planning support, risk and threat management, training, decision support, crisis response, and security services to global corporations and governments.