I received this email from one of the members of our Sunday morning bible study who is currently working overseas, in Nigeria:

Hello GAP and HNW,

I don't know what the news has been reporting in the US but we had a serious incident over here and had to evacuate our vessels offshore. Nine people from my company were kidnapped on Saturday morning our time and have yet to return. This came after quite a gun fight with local militants.

Please be praying for their safety and safe return. I am not allowed to give any more details but please continue praying.

Jason
Nigeria, Africa

LAGOS (AFX) - Guerrilla fighters launched multiple attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta on Saturday, kidnapping nine foreign workers and forcing Shell to suspend exports from a major terminal.

Heavily-armed rebels stormed a pipeline laying barge working off the energy giant's 380,000-barrel-per-day Forcados terminal, abducted expatriate staff and set fire to an offshore platform used to load crude onto tankers.

The firm said that it had been forced to suspend exports from Forcados, which could cut Nigeria's supply of crude to the world market by 15 pct, and confirmed that one of its pipelines had also been blown up.

Captain Obiara Medani, spokesman for the Nigerian navy, said there was an exchange of fire between government security forces and the militants.

In a statement, Shell said: 'A barge belonging to an SPDC contractor in the Forcados Estuary was attacked this morning. We understand that nine expatriates have been taken hostage but are unable to make further comments.'

US oil services contractor Willbros Group confirmed that nine employees, including three Americans, two Egyptians, two Thais and one Filipino, were kidnapped.