Nigeria commandos free oil hostages

A Nigerian commando unit has freed 19 oil workers who were kidnapped 10 days ago.

Two Americans, two Frenchmen, two Indonesians, a Canadian and 12 Nigerians were said to be euphoric after the land, air and sea assault. It was unclear if any of the abductors were killed in the operation.

The mother of one of the Americans, 47-year-old James Robertson of Mississippi, said she and her family were celebrating his release.

Brenda Robertson said her son, a father of four, had warned his family about the possibility of being kidnapped.

"He said, Mama, don't worry because all they want is money and they'll take care of us,"' Mrs Robertson said. "I gave it over to God and he took care of it."

Terrorists in the country's delta want more of the foreign oil money to be directed to local people.