Gunmen kidnapped three oil workers from Canada, Scotland and Nigeria at a rig in Nigeria’s Delta region on Saturday, officials said – the second abduction in the area in less than a week. The dawn operation has struck fear among oil workers in the creeks who feared more attacks in the coming weeks if not checked.
On Thursday, two Royal Dutch Shell oil workers were kidnapped and their police escorts killed in Rivers State while returning from a trip.
Relative peace had returned to the area in recent months leading to increased production in crude. Nigeria has been able to produce over 2 million barrels per day in recent months after years of high volatility.
The attackers raided the rig owned by Niger Delta Petroleum Resources in Ogbele, Rivers State at around 8 a.m. (0700 GMT), the spokesman for the area’s military operations, Major Ibrahim Abubakar, said.
Troops were searching surrounding swamps, he added. State police said they had stepped up security on an east-west road where armed men had attacked civilians in recent weeks.
The Niger Delta produces the bulk of Nigeria’s crude. It has been plagued by criminal gangs and by armed groups demanding a greater share of oil revenues for the region.