One hundred and sixty-five employees of Shell Oil Co. (SOC) being held hostage since Monday include 20 foreigners, among them Lebanese, Americans, Britons, and Australians, SOC was quoted as saying by Daily Star.
The hostages, who are being held at oil installations in southeastern Nigeria, included five Britons and seven Americans, the daily said, adding that the numbers of the other nationalities were not known.
The Lebanese Foreign Ministry has not been informed of the identities or the condition of the Lebanese held hostage at the company, the paper added.
A spokesman for the international oil giant said the incident occurred on Monday in the state of Bayelsa, 100 kilometers north of Port Harcourt, where about 35 armed members of local communities took over two separate installations and demanded employment with the company.
Shell spokesman Harriamn Essa Oyofo was reported by the Lebanese paper as saying that the 35 people came to the oil rigs in eight motorboats, adding that they are demanding employment for 10 youths with the catering contractor and for 20 youths with the security services contractor.
Shell has asked the governor of Bayelsa state to intervene to ensure the incident ends peacefully -- Albawaba.com
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