Hundreds of angry villagers chased workers away from an oil-transfer facility Monday, June 18, in Nigeria and occupied the premises to try to get money.

A flowstation of Italy's biggest oil company Eni SpA was attacked by armed militants in Nigeria yesterday, leaving 27 people unaccounted for.

Asari Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF) has denounced kidnapping of foreign oil workers in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. He said that such violence "was not part of the struggle for the development of the oil producing areas but mere criminal act."

Shell Petroleum Development Company denied on June 12th an alleged plan to stop oil exploration in the Niger Delta.

A new Nigerian born hip-hop ragga star, OUTRAGIUZ, who is based in Atlanta, is making waves on the Channel O TV channel in Africa with his tattoos and originality.

Royal Dutch Shell announced on June 6th that it had resumed production in some of the wells it operates in Nigeria.

Even as Nigeria marks the inauguration of its new leader Umaru Yar'Adua, many in the West African nation claim to know very little about their president. Gilbert da Costa in this background report for VOA, profiles the 56-year-old and discusses the challenges that may define his presidency.

Oil prices edged lower in Asian trade Monday as Nigeria's oil unions suspended a two-day-old strike over the weekend, relieving concerns of possible disruptions to shipments, dealers said.

Gunmen in Nigeria have kidnapped Friday at least eight more foreign oil workers in the country's Niger Delta region. Kari Barber reports for VOA from Abuja.

In oil-rich outheastern Nigeria there is a panic in the management bodies of multinational oil companies amid the increasing abduction and pipeline destruction cases this month.

The country home of Nigeria's vice president-elect, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was dynamited by unidentified militants early Wednesday in the village of Otu Eke in the oil rich Bayelsa state of the Niger Delta.

Nigeria's most powerful union, the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), has called a two-day strike action between now and May 29, to protest against what it called vote-rigging in last month's presidential, state and legislative elections.