By Randy Fabi
ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's main militant group said on Monday it had sabotaged a Chevron oil facility and seized a chemical tanker and six crew members, the latest in a string of attacks in Africa's biggest energy producer.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said it had attacked Chevron's Okan manifold late on Sunday in the southern Delta state, hours after it sabotaged an oil well head operated by Royal Dutch Shell. The military confirmed the attack.
"The criminals attacked another pipeline in Delta state yesterday. The pipeline belongs to Chevron," said Colonel Rabe Abubakar, spokesman for the military task force.
U.S. oil firm Chevron, which halted swamp operations in Delta state after attacks on its pipelines in May, said it was investigating the report.
Chevron, Shell and Italian energy firm Agip have cut output by around 273,000 barrels per day in the last six weeks because of the latest campaign of militant violence.
The disruption to supplies has helped support global oil prices in the past few weeks, but prices fell on Monday to $64 a barrel as traders focussed on the global economic recovery.
MEND also said on Monday it had seized a chemical tanker and six crew members off the coast of Escravos in the Niger Delta. It said three of the hostages were from Russia, two from the Philippines and one from India.
"Six crew members from the chemical tanker Siehem Peace were seized about 20 nautical miles from Escravos on Sunday ... and will be held until further notice," said MEND, who threatened further offshore attacks.
The military said late on Monday it had secured the hijacked ship, but had yet to contact the kidnappers or hostages.
Hundreds of foreigners have been seized in the Niger Delta since early 2006, most of whom have been released unharmed after a ransom was paid.
FADING HOPE
Militants have launched at least four attacks on the oil industry in Nigeria in the last 10 days, dashing hopes that an amnesty offer by President Umaru Yar'Adua would buy a period of calm.
Yar'Adua said on June 25 he would offer a 60-day amnesty to gunmen to try to end unrest which has prevented Nigeria from pumping above two thirds of its installed capacity since early 2006, costing it billions of dollars in lost revenue.
Some militant leaders have indicated they would be willing to accept the offer, provided they can negotiate the terms. But MEND, a loose network of various armed factions, has doubted the government's sincerity.
The militant group has called for the release of its leader Henry Okah, who is on trial for gun-running and treason and could face the death penalty. MEND says Okah needs urgent medical attention for a kidney ailment.
Yar'Adua ordered his interior minister last week to extend the clemency offer to Okah, but he has so far failed publicly to do so and Okah's trial continued last week.
"The government should display the highest form of integrity and sincerity over the detention of Henry Okah at this period of his fading health," MEND said.
(Additional reporting by Austin Ekeinde in Port Harcourt; Editing by Tim Pearce)
