- Pirates off the Nigerian coast have seized a French ship and taken its nine crew members hostage, the ship owners said Monday in Paris.

The ship, which conducted transport of materials and personnel for oil companies, was taken Sunday night, shipping company Bourbon said.

The crew includes five Nigerians, and men from Ghana, Cameroon and Indonesia. They were reportedly in good condition.

Nigeria is Africa's most important oil producer, with reserves estimated at 36 billion barrels.

Piracy rose in 2008, with Gulf of Aden and the east coast of Somalia rank as the number one piracy hotspot, followed by Nigeria. (dpa)