The five oil workers who were kidnapped on an oil production platform off the coast of Nigeria’s South-west Ondo state last Sunday have been freed unharmed, the local press reported Friday. The workers, all Nigerians, were taken hostage by a group from the 21 host communities of the indigenous oil company Express Oil. The report said the release of the workers — Tajudeen Adebanjo, Leke Omayebaje, Adeniji Tinnah, Martins Ebiyaon and Mike Obas — followed a truce brokered between the company and the communities by the state government, and that no ransom was paid for their release on Wednesday. After the meeting, the firm said it would strengthen its community relations department in order to better meet the aspirations of the communities. Kidnapping of oil workers are largely restricted to the restive, oil-producing Niger Delta region. Panapress.
