Hostage oil workers regain freedom
From William Etim (Yenagoa),
Mthias Okwe (Abuja), Emmanuel Badejo,
Lagos
THE federal and Bayelsa State governments yesterday denied that some expatriate workers of Conoil Producing Nigeria Limited were kidnapped by restive Ijaw youths. However, the hostages were said to have regained their freedom yesterday afternoon following the intervention of the state governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
The workers were said to have been seized by staff of a sub-contracting firm working for Conoil Limited. Sources close to the state government said that the workers' action may not be unconnected with the inability of the expatriates to meet some of their demands.
It was learnt that both parties had failed to reach an agreement.
Apparently to prevent a repeat of the occurrence, the President had immediately called on the state governor, Alamieyeseigha, who was away in England with the Vice President, Atiku Abubakar to intervene immediately.
Bayelsa State government sources said 11 foreign workers were seized. They include an American from Halliburton, one Croat and one Nigerian. The rest are French.
Meanwhile, Presidential Adviser on Petroleum and Energy, Dr. Edmund Daukoru, has denied a newspaper report (not in The Guardian) that six foreign oil workers were kidnapped in Bayalsa State by suspected Ijaw youths.
A statement last night in Abuja by Mr. Emmanuel Agbabir, a deputy director in his office, said: "The facts in this particular case are that a labour supplier called 'Octopus' had earlier entered into a contractual agreement to supply about 30 unskilled labour to a drilling contractor - Pride Farasol, operating and oil drilling rig for Consolidated Oil at OML 59 along the Bayelsa State shoreline.
"The agreement for the supply of this casual labour force for two years between Octopus and Pride - Farasol, was due to lapse in September this year and negotiation had begun between both parties, with a view to contract renewal or termination with appropriate terminal benefits in the event of renewal, the workers' demand was for full time employment.
"Our current information is that the negotiations are still on-going and though operations had been suspended there was definitely no kidnap incident and no hostile involvement of the community.
"It is therefore not true that six foreign workers was kidnapped in Bayelsa by suspected Ijaw youths.
"As a matter of fact, the expatriate on the rig (8 French, one Croatian and one Ivorien) have been taken to NNPC/Agip Brass Terminal pre-emptively while negotiations"
