Niger Delta militants abduct two Lebanese

Apr 2, 2007, 14:27 GMT

Abuja - Niger Delta militants abducted two Lebanese workers in Amasoma in Bayelsa State Monday, according to reports out of Nigeria.

The reports said the Lebanese, employees of indigenous construction firm Setraco, were abducted in the early hours of Monday.

They were abducted by gun-totting youths who launched their attack from speedboats, the reports said.

Details are still sketchy about the whereabouts of the victims and the abductors.

Police spokesman in the Bayelsa capital Yenagoa, Iniebong Ette, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that there were no further details.

'Amasoma, where they were reportedly abducted is more than one hour's trip from Yenagoa, but we are trying to reach our men on the ground in the area to supply further details,' Ette said.

Not less than 70 expatriate workers have been abducted in the Niger Delta since the beginning of the year as militant groups demand better treatment of the region from the Nigerian government.

The majority of those abducted were released unharmed after varying periods in captivity and after payment of ransom money, which companies and governments often denied.

Nigeria depends on oil and gas exports from the region for more than 90 per cent of its total annual income, but hostilities in the Niger Delta have led to a decrease in revenue since the abductions heightened in 2006.