It seems that the attack on the Bulford Dolphin actually ended with the kidnapping of 16 workers, 8 expats and 8 Nigerians. According to news reports, the kidnappers have said they are prepared to negotiate for money for the release of the hostages. News of the abductions has caused the price of oil to rise by another $2 a barrel.
OBSLF
Many of the oil facilities are indeed protected by professional security - the Nigerian Army and Navy, plus many MOPOL of the Nigerian Police Force. However, the new brand of militants carrying out these attacks are usually in greater numbers than the military protecting an installation, and the Nigerian military and police are notoriously unreliable in their determination to actually carry out the job of protecting the facilities. The attackers of late, have also had considerably greater firepower, in terms of numbers and quality and calibre of weapons, than those defending oil bases.
The attack at Benisede earlier in the year is one such example. Also the kidnapping of the workers from the Wilbros rig, was carried out by a large number of men, using 'swarm attack' tactics. In the robbery at the Agip Base in Port Harcourt earlier this year, the mobile police on site were considerably outnumbered and slaughtered in a crossfire by attackers actually using a modicum of tactical skill. The new breed of militant is considerably better armed, more determined and better trained than before, whilst the Nigerian military and paramilitary forces suffer from low morale, poor training, poor discipline, and inferior weapons. Until that changes and the government is seriously prepared to act decisively and get a political and military grip of the situation, it will probably get worse as the attackers become emblodened by their continuing successes and seeming invulnerability
