Global General

Nigeria: Militants lose touch of French hostages

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-09-25 10:49

LAGOS, Nigeria -- The main militant group in Nigeria's restive, oil-rich southern delta says it has lost touch with the gunmen who kidnapped three French oil workers and a Thai off the West African nation's coast.

A statement issued by the Movement for the Emanicipation of the Niger Delta to The Associated Press late Friday night said the gunmen "abruptly severed communications" with the group. The militant group says it will not go out of its way to act as a negotiator now.

The workers were kidnapped early Wednesday morning from the French-flagged vessel Bourbon Alexandre. The ship was working in an offshore oil field operated by Addax Petroleum, a subsidiary of Chinese state-owned oil producer Sinopec Group.