Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

Suspected kidnappers operating in the creeks of Bayelsa State have reportedly abducted four oil workers along the waterways of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

According to investigation among those kidnapped were two staff of Nigerian Agip Oil Company.

Sources said the oil workers were part of team sent on a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to Azuzuama when they were stopped and seized in the coastal area.

A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the abducted persons include a staff of Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and two from Agip (HSE Department).

The source said they were taken to an unknown destination, and that the kidnappers have also contacted Agip to negotiate their release.

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Agip, he said, sent a letter in that regard to the Director, Petroleum and Pollution Department in the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment.

Agip officials and the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment however declined to comment on the incident.

A reliable security source said armed soldiers have been deployed in the area in search of the kidnapped victims.

Contacted, Spokesman of the joint task force in the Niger Delta, Major Ibrahim Abdullahi, said he was not aware of the abduction.

He said, “There is no information like that at my disposal. However, I’ll check further and let you know if there’s anything like that.”