A navy helicopter crashed in Nigeria’s oil-rich southern delta, killing a state governor and five other people, in the latest air disaster to hit Africa’s most populous nation.

Nigerian farmers are suing Shell in a Dutch court, asking judges to order the oil giant to clean up environmental damage they claim is caused by leaking pipes.

A tanker truck caught fire and exploded in Nigeria today shortly after breaking down, killing at least 95 people who then rushed to the scene to scoop fuel, an official said.

A CAR laden with explosives rammed through two gates and blew up at the UN offices in Nigeria’s capital Abuja, killing at least 18 people and shattering part of the concrete structure.

A car bomb has exploded outside the United Nations' main office in Nigeria's capital, flattening one wing of the building and killing an unknown number of people.

A large explosion struck the United Nations' main office in Nigeria's capital today, flattening one wing of the building.

Muslim extremists may have planted a bomb which struck an army barracks in Nigeria’s capital, the country’s president said today, highlighting the dangers and confusion still gripping a nation beset by violence in recent weeks.

A Nigerian military attack using heavily armed soldiers and aerial bombing runs has killed as many as 150 people in the oil-rich southern delta, a human rights activist said today.

The main militant group in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta has said it will launch new attacks, despite a recent military crackdown.

Nigeria’s military launched a co-ordinated air, naval and ground assault to free 19 hostages held in militant camps in the oil-rich southern delta, apparently routing the gunmen without causing any casualties.

An oil company working in Nigeria’s restive and oil-rich southern delta said today that five of its employees were kidnapped and two others wounded during an attack on an offshore oil rig.

TWO car bombs blew up yesterday as Nigeria celebrated its 50th independence anniversary, killing at least seven people in an unprecedented attack on the capital, Abuja, by militants from the country’s oil region.

At least seven people were killed in three explosions as Nigeria celebrated the 50th anniversary of its independence today.

Gunmen kidnapped 15 children on their way to school near Nigeria's oil-rich and troubled southern delta.

Pirates kidnapped 12 foreign sailors off the coast of Nigeria's restive and oil-rich southern delta during an attack that left one crew member injured, a naval spokesman said today.

Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua, long plagued by poor health, died aged 58, his spokesman said.

Nigeria’s acting president dissolved the Cabinet today in his first major act since taking office more than a month ago.

Nigeria’s parliament empowered Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to run Africa’s most populous nation in place of an ill and absent president, striving for a political end to a crisis that ground the government to a virtual halt and triggered the resumption of an insurgency in the vital oil sector.

THREE top Nigerian militant leaders in the volatile oil hub of the Niger Delta gave up their weapons along with thousands of fighters on Saturday under a government amnesty.

A kidnapped British oil worker was enjoying his first full day of freedom today after being released from nine months in captivity in Nigeria.

Oil prices eased below $60 (€43) a barrel today as investors awaited the latest meeting of the Opec oil-producing cartel later this week.

Oil prices fell to another near two-year low today as traders predicted the economic downturn would hit demand.

It is commendable that Michael Job has the motivation to put pen to paper on the important issue of the Corrib gas pipeline (Letters, September 23).

A British ex-pat has been kidnapped in Nigeria, according to reports today.

A mixed bag from the EIA data released yesterday failed to offer any real direction to the markets.

THE brother of Everton football player Joseph Yobo was kidnapped on Saturday by armed men in Port Harcourt, the capital of Nigeria’s southern oil-producing region, police said yesterday.

Oil prices reached a new high above $117 (€73) a barrel today amid further fears over supply.

Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell is set to slash its 2007 reserves figures by more than half, it was reported today.

Militants in Nigeria’s restive oil region today invited actor George Clooney to visit the area and asked for United Nations intervention in the conflict.

Militants in Nigeria's restive oil region have today invited actor George Clooney to visit the area and asked for United Nations intervention in the conflict.

Two children aged five and six have become the latest kidnap victims of oil company ransom gangs in Nigeria.

Five men were today charged with the kidnapping of a British oil worker in Nigeria.

A three-year-old boy who was kidnapped in Nigeria’s oil-rich south was released today, a day after he was seized by gunmen, an aide to the boy’s father said.

Gunmen smashed a window and grabbed a three-year-old from his father’s Mercedes four-wheel drive vehicle today, bringing to four the number of children kidnapped for ransom in Nigeria’s oil-rich south.

Gunmen have released two Nigerian senior managers seized last weekend in the country’s oil-rich south, colleagues at Royal Dutch Shell PLC said today.

The mother of a three-year-old British girl who was snatched in Nigeria said the kidnappers phoned and threatened to kill her daughter.

Kidnappers snatched a three-year-old British girl from her vehicle as it carried her to school today in Nigeria’s lawless southern oil region, officials said.

Hostage-takers have released a toddler, its nanny and a driver kidnapped four days ago in Nigeria's oil-rich south, police said today.

An oil rig was evacuated today after gunmen seized a British oil worker in a dawn attack, a company spokesman said.

Militants today released two Italian oil-worker hostages seized more than three months ago in Nigeria’s restive southern region, militants and officials said.

Militants in Nigeria are planning a major new wave of attacks and kidnappings in the next few days that could include up to 20 simultaneous bombings across the country’s oil-rich delta region, US diplomats warned today.

Angry villagers in Nigeria who took over three Shell oil platforms in the volatile Niger Delta have agreed to end their siege and allow operations to resume.

British diplomats said today they have so far been unable to confirm reports that an oilworker kidnapped in Nigeria has died while still being held hostage.

Nigerian rebels have demanded $40m (€31.5m) for the safe return of four kidnapped British oil workers.