Associated Press: Armed men attack Shell oil platform in Nigeria, military says: "A Shell spokesman confirmed the attack but had no further details.": "Violence, hostage-taking and sabotage of oil operations have been common in the oil-rich Niger Delta in the past 15 years amid demands by the region's impoverished communities for a greater share of the oil revenue flowing from their land.": Sunday January 15, 2006

By DULUE MBACHU

LAGOS, Nigeria - Armed men opened fire Sunday on soldiers guarding an oil platform run by Royal Dutch Shell in the swamps of Nigeria's southern oil-rich delta, the third assault in less than a week on Shell facilities in the troubled region, a senior military official said.

Soldiers guarding the Benisede facility in the west of the Niger Delta returned automatic weapons fire, but it was unclear if they had lost control of the oil platform, said Brig. Gen. Elias Zamani, commander of a special task force charged with security in the volatile oil region.

Zamani had no other details and said the military was investigating. A Shell spokesman confirmed the attack but had no further details. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media about the incident. There was no word on casualties.

On Wednesday, gunmen attacked Shell's EA platform in shallow waters near the delta coast, seizing a Bulgarian, an American, a British and a Honduran. A major Shell pipeline leading to its Forcados export terminal was blown up the following day.

Though Shell resumed some production cut last week, the first two attacks initially forced a 10 percent drop in Nigeria's oil exports.

A previously unknown militant group, Movement for Niger Delta Emancipation, claimed responsibility for first two attacks, warning all Western oil companies to leave the Niger Delta for their safety and calling on the government to release militia leader Mujahid Dokubo-Asari.

Dokubo-Asari campaigned for secession and greater local control of oil wealth before he was jailed in September and charged with treason.

Nigeria is Africa's leading oil exporter and the fifth-biggest source of U.S. oil imports. The country produces about 2.5 million barrels a day.

Violence, hostage-taking and sabotage of oil operations have been common in the oil-rich Niger Delta in the past 15 years amid demands by the region's impoverished communities for a greater share of the oil revenue flowing from their land.

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