Nigerian Militants Release 19 Hostages: Agencies

Nigerian militants on Sunday released 19 hostages who were abducted two weeks ago, reports from news agencies said.

AFP reported that the militants in the Nigeria's oil-rich Delta region free the hostages.

The hostages were Nigerian oil workers who were kidnapped by the main military group Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).

Meanwhile, the MEND said in an e-mailed statement to the media "At about 1055 Hrs on Sunday, October 05, 2008, the Nigerian hostages rescued from pirates by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta have been released in Rivers State."

"Due to the location where the expatriates were kept for their safety, they cannot be released at this time because of security concern," the statement said.

Since the beginning of 2006, militant groups have emerged in Niger Delta region, fighting for more local control of natural resources, especially oil, through way of kidnapping oil workers and attacks on oil facilities.