An Armed group suspected to be members of the separatist militants affiliated to the group known as Biafra Nations League, BnL, has allegedly abducted three oil workers in the early hours of Saturday morning in Cross River State.
The separatists are believed to have also seized the boat belonging to the oil workers and other safety equipment belonging to an oil firm operating in the Atabong area in the Bakassi Peninsula.
According to impeccable sources, the oil workers were on their way to work at about 9 am when the armed group accosted and whisked them away.
The sources also added that the armed group shot sporadically to scare off security operatives before they sped away with the abducted workers.
The security operatives guiding the two vessels who were taken off guard were overwhelmed but no casualties were reported.
The leader of BnL, Princewill Chimezie Richards according to TheNationonline has been having running battles with the security agencies was said to have encountered men of the Nigerian Navy in Ibaka in Akwa Ibom State when he and his group were heading back to Bakassi where they majorly operate.
Both were reported to have engaged in a fire exchange.
The navy operatives attempted to stop the boat carrying Princewill and his men but were resisted.
Bakassi Chapter leader of the group, Ita Bassey, has confirmed the incident.
Public Relations Officer of Cross River State Police Command, Irene Ugbo, said she was not aware of the reported abduction.
Theft, sabotage and Other sundry criminalities have reduced the oil production in Nigeria from the heights of 2 Million Barrels Per day to just less than a Million Barrels Per Day production in the last few months.
Though the production volume has started growing again following concerted efforts by all stakeholders in the Industry after outcry by Nigerians at the Industrial Scale stealing of the Nations’ wealth.
Militants who were earlier rehabilitated under the Presidential Amnesty programme have also been threatening to also return to militancy due top alleged broken promises.
