Bakassi militants abduct 28 oil workforce

Twenty-eight oil workers were abducted by Bakassi militants in Cross River State at the weekend.

The victims, who are employees of Sinopec, an oil services company in neighbouring Akwa Ibom State, were kidnapped by a militant group, Lactop Marine Force, operating in the Bakassi axis of the state.

They were said to be on their way to a Shell position in the Atlantic when the militants struck.

However, rescue came their way less than 24 hours after the abduction.

Investigations by Sunday Sun revealed that they were later rescued by the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Pulo Shield, in collaboration with the Eastern Naval Command, Calabar, Cross River State.

It was also gathered that the militant group abducted the oil workers following their employer’s failure to abide by the terms of agreement with the group on the provision of security to the oil firm early last year.

Confirming the abduction of the workers on telephone, spokesperson of Lactop Marine Force, Samuel Okoye, said: “We arrested the workers because their company reneged on earlier agreement that we should still provide security even as they have relocated to Uruan in Akwa Ibom State.