Nigeria rebels attack oil facility, hijack tanker

By Randy Fabi

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's main militant group said 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 attacked Chevron's Okan manifold late Sunday in the southern Delta state, hours after it sabotaged an oil well head operated by Royal Dutch Shell.

It was not immediately possible to independently verify the statement.

U.S. oil firm Chevron, which halted swamp operations in Delta state following 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 following the latest campaign of militant violence.

The disruption to supplies have helped support global oil prices in the past few weeks. But prices fell Monday to $64 a barrel as traders focused on the global economic recovery.

MEND also said Monday it 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 was seized about 20 nautical miles from Escravos Sunday ... and will be held until further notice," said MEND, who threatened further offshore attacks.