Militants attack oil supply ship

A group of unidentified militants attacked an oil supply ship near an offshore petroleum station in the Niger Delta on 4 December 2008. Authorities stated that the Oceanic Orion was docked at the Adanga oil flow station -- which is located approximately 12 mi/19 km off the shore of the Niger Delta -- when armed men stormed the ship. Reports indicate that the gunmen abducted at least one Nigerian and two foreign workers during the attack. The nationality of the foreign workers has yet to be ascertained. The vessel and offshore station are reportedly owned and operated by the Canadian oil firm Addax Petroleum. No further details on the incident were reported. Meanwhile, Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) -- which is a subsidiary of the U.S. oil company ExxonMobil -- also reported on 4 December that gunmen attacked one of its convoys in the southern Akwa Ibom state the previous evening. The gunmen attacked the convoy on the main road between the town of Eket and the Qua Iboe oil export terminal. At least one person was killed in the attack. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.