(Adds details, background) By Randy Fabi ABUJA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Nigeria's most prominent militant group said on Monday it would release two South African oil workers kidnapped last week in the restive Niger Delta. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, which declared an "oil war" against oil companies and security forces on Sunday, said its action was a gesture of goodwill towards the South African government. "MEND will be ... releasing the two hostages to the care of the South African government representative at the earliest convenience after working out the modalities including safety concerns since the creek is now a war zone," the group said in an e-mailed statement. The two South Africans, along with two Britons, a Ukrainian and 22 Nigerians were kidnapped after their oil supply vessel was hijacked by gunmen in the delta last Tuesday. MEND, responsible for attacks that have cut a fifth of OPEC member Nigeria's oil output since early 2006, said it had rescued the 27 hostages from their captors on Friday and taken them to an undisclosed camp on Saturday. It was not immediately possible to independently verify MEND's claims. The militant group, which says it is fighting for more local control of the impoverished region's oil wealth, said it had decided to release the two captives after a personal appeal by the wife of suspected militant leader Henry Okah. Okah, who was arrested in Angola last year and extradited to Nigeria to face trial for gun-running and treason, still commands loyalty from several armed factions in the delta. Last month, MEND rescued two German hostages working with construction firm Julius Berger, the first such incident since it launched its campaign of violence against the oil sector in early 2006. (Editing by Catherine Evans)
A supporter of Jacob Zuma, the leader of South Africa's ruling ANC, gestures as they demand for charges against Zuma to be dropped, in front of the National Prosecuting Authority in ...
