Militant youths in the Niger Delta have released 165 oil workers they had held hostage on two drilling rigs belonging to Royal Dutch/Shell, according to news reports quoting company officials.
They said the hostages - 145 Nigerians, seven US citizens, five British and eight Lebanese and Australians - were seized on their work platforms on 31 July by 30 heavily armed youths demanding work at the catering and security firms contracted by Shell, according to AFP.
The workers were employed by Shell and its Nigerian subsidiary, the Shell Petroleum Development Corporation, a Houston-based drilling contractor, Mallard Bay and NGL, a local firm.
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