Search
  1. Home
  2. West Africa
  3. Nigeria

Kidnapped pilots freed

    ABIDJAN

    Two helicopter pilots taken hostage in the Niger Delta nearly three weeks ago have been freed unharmed, news organisations reported on Saturday.

    The two pilots and their helicopter, working under contract for the oil company Royal Dutch/Shell, were taken hostage on 27 June, news organisations said.

    A spate of kidnappings in the Niger Delta over the last few weeks has increased insecurity in a region where crude output has been disrupted by attacks from militant youths wanting a share in its oil wealth, Reuters reported. Athough oil companies usually deny paying money to free kidnapped employees, it is widely known within the oil industry that ransoms are often paid, Reuters said.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

    We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

    Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join