ENI (the parent company of Agip) have told the BBC that no money has been sent, it has had no contact with the militants and has been working with the Nigerian authorities and the Italian foreign ministry to ensure the hostages' release.
The problem, as etienne says, is that MEND is an umbrella organisation. It uses a variety of armed groups to actually carry out its attacks and many of them are difficult to control, with no real loyalty to MEND except for payment. When not employed by MEND many of them carry out their own kidnappings for ransom, work for local politicians, or are involved in the vast illegal bunkering operations in Nigeria. They are simply guns for hire with no political agenda
