Pirates kidnap six foreigners

LAGOS - Armed pirates who stormed an oil service ship off Nigeria have kidnapped six foreigners and demanded a $US1.3 million ($F2.31 million) ransom for their release, the police and military say.

"Three of those abducted are from Ukraine, two from India, one from Russia," Bayelsa state police spokesman Fidelis Odunna said of the Sunday attack."One of the kidnappers called to demand the sum of 200 million naira" ($F2.29 million)), he added.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry however issued a statement saying its three nationals had already been released, but it provided no details regarding the circumstances and Nigerian security officials were not available to confirm the development.

"According to the embassy of Ukraine in Nigeria, the three kidnapped Ukrainians... have been released. Their life and health are not in danger," the statement said.The kidnapping of foreign oil workers is common in Nigeria's oil-rich south, with the hostages often released following a ransom payment. It is however rare for police to discuss the details of ransom demands.

There has also been a recent series of kidnappings in northern Nigeria claimed by an extremist Islamist group, but those are considered a different phenomenon.The Armada Tuah vessel operated by the Lagos-based Century Group with a crew of 15 was attacked by gunmen 40 nautical miles off southern Bayelsa state at about 4:00 pm (0200 AEDT), the area's military spokesman, Colonel Nwachukwu Onyema told AFP.