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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Tanker damaged in Nigeria attack | Tanker damaged in Nigeria attack |
| (2 days later) | |
| Militants from Nigeria's Niger Delta region have attacked a tanker carrying thousands of tonnes of diesel and kidnapped a Romanian crew member. | Militants from Nigeria's Niger Delta region have attacked a tanker carrying thousands of tonnes of diesel and kidnapped a Romanian crew member. |
| The unidentified militants blew up the ship's engine with dynamite, security sources said. | The unidentified militants blew up the ship's engine with dynamite, security sources said. |
| The attack happened in the major shipping lane off the Rivers State coast just within the military protection zone for vessels. | The attack happened in the major shipping lane off the Rivers State coast just within the military protection zone for vessels. |
| The vessel is believed to be still at sea and seriously damaged. | The vessel is believed to be still at sea and seriously damaged. |
| The MT Meredith was carrying 4,000 tonnes of diesel from Lagos to Port Harcourt, security sources said. | The MT Meredith was carrying 4,000 tonnes of diesel from Lagos to Port Harcourt, security sources said. |
| The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) said the gunmen were from an "affiliate" group. | The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) said the gunmen were from an "affiliate" group. |
| "Mend is in touch with the group and will ensure the abducted man is released unharmed at the earliest convenience," the group said in an e-mail to journalists. | "Mend is in touch with the group and will ensure the abducted man is released unharmed at the earliest convenience," the group said in an e-mail to journalists. |
| Ransacked | Ransacked |
| At the weekend a tanker hired by Royal Dutch Shell was attacked by militants. | |
| They locked the crew in the hold and ransacked the vessel. Nigeria hostage rescue deniedNigerian attack closes oilfield | They locked the crew in the hold and ransacked the vessel. Nigeria hostage rescue deniedNigerian attack closes oilfield |
| The BBC's Andrew Walker in Nigeria says acts of piracy in the waters off the Niger Delta are common, but attacks on tankers are unusual. | The BBC's Andrew Walker in Nigeria says acts of piracy in the waters off the Niger Delta are common, but attacks on tankers are unusual. |
| Nigerian militants tend to attack oil services boats closer to the coast, stripping them of equipment and kidnapping the foreign oil workers. | Nigerian militants tend to attack oil services boats closer to the coast, stripping them of equipment and kidnapping the foreign oil workers. |
| Last year, the Mend, Nigeria's most publically visible group, attacked the Bonga oil facility, an offshore oil field operated by Royal Dutch Shell. | Last year, the Mend, Nigeria's most publically visible group, attacked the Bonga oil facility, an offshore oil field operated by Royal Dutch Shell. |
| The ship-like oil platform was 75km (46 miles) off the coast and thought to be out of militants' reach. | The ship-like oil platform was 75km (46 miles) off the coast and thought to be out of militants' reach. |
| Some militant groups say they are fighting for a fairer distribution of wealth from Nigeria's oil. | Some militant groups say they are fighting for a fairer distribution of wealth from Nigeria's oil. |
| But there are many armed groups in the Delta who make money out of extortion, kidnapping and oil theft under the direction of powerful and well-connected political figures. | But there are many armed groups in the Delta who make money out of extortion, kidnapping and oil theft under the direction of powerful and well-connected political figures. |
| The United Kingdom has promised military training to help the government combat the problem. | The United Kingdom has promised military training to help the government combat the problem. |
| Oil production has been cut by a fifth in the last three years partly as a result of violence. | Oil production has been cut by a fifth in the last three years partly as a result of violence. |