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| Militants |
A report by Reuters has it that gunmen in Nigeria's restive southern
Niger Delta region, which has been hit by a series of militant attacks on
energy facilities since the start of the year, have kidnapped 14 local oil
workers and their driver, police said on Saturday.
Kidnapping for ransom is a common
problem in some parts of Nigeria and the southern Delta energy hub has seen an
increase in crime since the start of attacks by militants calling for more oil
wealth to go to the impoverished region.
The abduction took place on a road
connecting the towns of Omoku and Elele, around 50 km (30 miles) from the city
of Port Harcourt, Rivers state, in the early hours of Friday as the employees
of Nigerian energy company Nestoil traveled to work, police said.
"We have recovered the vehicle
they were traveling in before the incident occurred. Police are currently
combing bushes around the area in a bid to find and release the victims,"
said Nnamdi Omoni of Rivers state police.
"I do not think there was a
foreigner among those kidnapped. Their abductors have not made any contact and
nobody has been arrested yet," added Nnamdi.
A spokesman for Nestoil could not
immediately be reached.
(Reporting by Anamesere
Igboeroteonwu; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Gareth Jones)
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