Joint Niger
Delta Military Task Force in the Niger Delta, codenamed Operation Pulo Shield,
has confirmed the abduction of four oil workers by suspected sea pirates in
Ogoimbiri community of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The four oil
workers, according to the JTF, were in the employ of the Nigerian Agip Oil
Company.
It was learnt
that suspected sea pirates, operating with a speedboat, attacked a boat
conveying the four Agip employees and abducted them.
The workers
were said to be travelling on a speedboat from Amassomma to Ogoimbiri, all in
Southern Ijaw.
“Their
speedboat was double-crossed by gun-wielding men who shot sporadically into the
air to frighten their targets. The gunmen took them into their boat and zoomed
off. Our river is a death trap,” a source, who craved anonymity, said.
Confirming
the incident to newsmen on Wednesday in Yenagoa, spokesman for JTF, Lt.Col. Isa
Ado, said the oil workers were kidnapped around Osisama community and were
without security escort.
Ado said,
“The Agip workers were kidnapped during an official operation in the area
before the sea pirates launched an attack on them.
“It is
regretted that they were kidnapped. We were not informed of their visit, maybe
we would have provided an escort team to avert the incident.”
Ado however
said the JTF had commenced search-and-rescue operation along the creeks and
waterways of the Southern Ijaw area to secure the release of the Agip staff.
“We have
started a rescue mission to secure their release and also bring the captors to
book,” he stated.
No comments:
Post a Comment