Video - Black Gold theatrical trailer

From award winning director comes Black Gold, a powerful story of greed, murder and corruption in the murky waters of the volatile oil rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

Black Gold is an epic film about environmental justice and the fight over the control of the scarce oil resources that the world runs on. The line between good and evil is blurred as corrupt government officials, greedy oil companies and violent rebels go on a war path over oil spills and degradation of the land caused by oil exploration.

Starring Billy Zane, Mbong Amata, Hakeem Kae Kazim and Sarah Wayne Callies. Produced by Jeta Amata, Wilson Ebiye, Dede Mabiaku and Hakeem Kae Kazim. Original score and trailer by Joel Goffin.

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Nationwide strike starts

The first day of a planned three-day countrywide strike over pay went ahead in Nigeria Wednesday, despite last ditch attempts by President Goodluck Jonathan to avert it.

Federal government offices were deserted whilst banks were shut and public bus services were cancelled.

Schools and gas stations however remained open and privately run taxis were operating as usual as tens of thousands of commuters ignored the strike call.

Jonathan on Tuesday cut short a business visit to Lagos to fly back to the capital Abuja to personally take part in emergency late night talks with the country's main unions.

Those talks ended with the unions saying the strike would proceed as planned, but labour leaders said they would meet again later on Wednesday.

"The only thing we can say ... is that the strike is on until it is called off," said Promise Adewusi, acting president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The unions had initially demanded an almost 700 per cent pay rise on the national minimum wage, which has stood at 7,500 naira (36 euros) for the past decade despite double-digit inflation.

After months of negotiations, they settled for a 240 per cent pay hike to 18,000 naira (87 euros), but some three months on the government has yet to accept the recommended figure.

It is feared the strike could shut down Nigeria, the world's eighth-largest oil exporter and Africa's most populous country.

RFI

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MEND to launch fresh attacks on oil rigs

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has threatened to launch fresh attacks on oil installations across the Niger Delta soon, an online medium, www.oyibosonline.com posted yesterday.

In the report titled, "Mend Plans Serial Attacks on Oil Rigs", the medium said MEND had issued a statement claiming its readiness to turn the table on the amnesty programme by launching new attacks.

"In the coming days, our fighters will launch series of attacks on oil installations across the Niger Delta," the group said in the statement e-mailed by Jomo Gbomo, MEND's spokesperson, the report also said. It also reported that MEND has claimed responsibility for Sunday's hostage taking of seven expatriates after a swoop on oil workers at a coast line in Akwa Ibom State.

The online report posted a letter said to have been issued by mend saying its fighters on Sunday caught some oil expatriates working with Afren, a company engaged in drilling at the Okoro oil field in Akwa Ibom.

Meanwhile, the United States and France have called for the prompt release of all the hostages. "We're, of course, concerned about their safety and hope for their immediate release," U.S State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters. Also, the French foreign ministry spokesman confirmed it had received information indicating that two of its nationals had been taken hostage.

"We have indications concerning the abduction... and the possible presence of two French nationals among the people abducted," said ministry spokesman Bernard Valero.

Our correspondent called Lt. Col. Timothy Anthigha, the spokesman of JTF in the Niger Delta to speak on the report but he didn't respond.

Daily Trust

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Samson Siasia appointed as new Super Eagles coach

Former Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Association, NFA, coach Kashimawo Laloko has described Samson Siasia 's appointment as the new Super Eagles coach as a beginning of a new era in the country's football.

Laloko said that Siasia knows where the shoe pinches, pointing out that he is on ground and has the knowledge on how to get the best out of the players while his consistency with Nigerian football would bring the problem of the game to an end.

Laloko urged Nigerians to be patient with the former Super Eagles striker saying he is not a magician but has the charisma to bring back the country's lost glory in football both in Africa and the world.

The former handler of the defunct Stationary Stores football club of Lagos said appointing Stephen Keshi would have looked like hiring a foreign coach .

"Siasia's appointment is going to bring change to the country's football. He knows where the problems lie and he is presently handling Heartland football club of Owerri in our local league.

"I know what Siasia can do, he has the charisma to carry the players along and as well transform the Super Eagles. He goes to the nooks and crannies of the country to fish out talents from nowhere. We all saw it with the U-20 team in 2005 both in Benin during the Africa Youth Championship and World Youth championship in Holland.

"Again the same happened when he qualified the country for the Beijing Olympics football game final three years later and the team won silver medal. What I am saying is that the right man has been given the job.

"I am not saying that Keshi is not good for the job, but bringing him to take over as the coach is like hiring a foreign coach to handle the team", Laloko surmised.

Vanguard

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Five hostages taken from oil rig

Five people were taken hostage on Monday from an oil rig off the coast of Nigeria.

Two of them are believed to be French, according to a French Foreign Ministry spokesperson. The rig in the Delta region was attacked early Monday morning, according to the company that overseas it.

"We have indications concerning the abduction off Lagos and the possible presence of two French nationals among the people abducted," said French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero. "We are looking to confirm these indications."

The British company that oversees the rig, Afren, said only that the oil rig in the Okoro oil fields was attacked and five crew members were likely taken hostage. Two other crew members were wounded.

"Two crew members are stable after receiving wounds to the leg, and have been evacuated by helicopter to a shore-based clinic," said the company in a statement.

The nationalities of the five hostages were not given, but a security source told the AFP news agency that there were two French, two Americans and a Canadian.

Kidnappings are frequent in the Niger Delta, Nigeria's oil production heartland, with groups calling for a better distribution of the country's oil wealth.

RFI

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