Since 2006, militant groups in Nigeria's Niger Delta, especially the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), have resorted to taking foreign employees of oil companies hostage as part of the conflict in the Niger Delta.
More than 200 foreigners have been kidnapped since 2006, though most were released unharmed.
[1] Since the start of the Islamist insurgency in the north of the country, Western hostages have also been taken (mostly by Ansaru), in addition to the kidnappings perpetrated by Boko Haram.
They managed to escape on February 15, 2009, and after 5 days of trip through mangroves were found by Nigerian Military boats in the vicinity of Port Harcourt.
Kidnapping in Nigeria