2006年VOA标准英语-Nigerian Militants Demand $250,000 Ransom

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
30 July 2006

 
Militant¹ patrols creeks² of the Niger Delta³ area of Nigeria (File photo) 
  
Militants⁴ who invaded an oil flow station in Southern Nigeria early last week are still holding oil workers and guards captive. The armed youths have issued demands that include a quarter of a million dollars ransom⁵.

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Militants from the Agbaibiri community in the Niger Delta invaded the oil pumping station late Tuesday, seizing at least eight soldiers and 16 workers, forcing the facility to shut down.

Bayelsa State Police Commissioner⁶ Hafiz Ringim says the hostage takers are making ransom demands of about $250,000.

"The soldiers, oil workers and the kidnappers⁷ are still at the Agip flow station. You are aware that they are demanding for 30 million [Naira], and a couple of other things," said Ringim. "It is one of the those things that you cannot do too much about."

The police chief said he was optimistic that the hostages would be released unharmed, particularly because of the ransom demand.

State officials have held at least two meetings with the militants without achieving a breakthrough. The leader of the government negotiating team said the hostages are in good condition and are being treated fairly well.

Earlier reports suggested about 40 people; including sub contractors⁸, security, and catering⁹ staff were at the flow station when it was taken over.

Pumping station owner Agip says the attackers are demanding payment for a boat seized from them by the Nigerian navy.

The local Agbainbiri community is also asking for jobs, the clearing of an oil spill, and the construction of an erosion control facility.

The attack has disrupted 35,000 barrels per day of crude oil. Recent militant attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta have reduced Nigeria's oil production by 700,000 barrels per day.

1 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

2 creeks   

n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪

参考例句：

• The prospect lies between two creeks. 矿区位于两条溪流之间。 来自辞典例句
• There was the excitement of fishing in country creeks with my grandpa on cloudy days. 有在阴雨天和姥爷一起到乡村河湾钓鱼的喜悦。 来自辞典例句

3 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

4 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

5 ransom   

n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救

参考例句：

• We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
• The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。

6 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

7 kidnappers   

n.拐子，绑匪( kidnapper的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They were freed yesterday by their kidnappers unharmed. 他们昨天被绑架者释放了，没有受到伤害。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The kidnappers had threatened to behead all four unless their jailed comrades were released. 帮匪们曾经威胁说如果印度方面不释放他们的同伙，他们就要将这四名人质全部斩首。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 catering   

n. 给养

参考例句：

• Most of our work now involves catering for weddings. 我们现在的工作多半是承办婚宴。
• Who did the catering for your son's wedding? 你儿子的婚宴是由谁承办的？