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NIGERIA: MILITANTS SHOW OFF AMERICAN HOSTAGE February 25, 2006
Kizza Harajah
(SomaliNet) Masked Nigerian militants showed an appealing 68-year-old American hostage to journalists on Friday. All he prayed for was his release.
Macon Hawkins of Kosciusko, Texas, who is turning 69 on Wednesday said that all he wanted for his birthday was his release. This encounter with journalists took only fifteen minutes.
All the Nigerian militants want is for Nigerians to benefit more from the country's oil wealth. Nigeria is the eighth largest oil producer worldwide but this wealth benefits foreigners at the expense of Nigerians.
According to Hawkins, the militants want the intervention of the United Nations or President Bush in negotiations for the release of the hostages. Hawkins was among the nine foreign oil hostages captured in the Niger Delta on February 8th.