Gunmen kidnap 11 from bus near Nigeria oil hub
Aerial view of Port Harcourt in River State, the
commercial capital Niger Delta
Gunmen
abducted 11 people from a bus as they travelled close to Nigeria's southern oil
hub Port Harcourt late on Monday, a passenger who escaped from the attack told
AFP.
The
region near Port Harcourt is a known hotspot for kidnappings by groups looking
to receive ransom pay-offs and was the scene of an abduction that saw 16 people
snatched earlier this month.
"They
ambushed us at about 9.00 pm... and after asking us to come out from the bus,
they tried to take us inside the bush. But five of us escaped before police and
military personnel arrived," said Amiekro Princewill.
Security
forces searched the area following the attack, according to another passenger
who managed to escape the gunmen.
"They
had gone far into the forest with the victims before the security operatives
arrived," said the escapee, Bright Belekwe.
"Hoodlums
ambushed us and tried to take us inside the bush. I and four others escaped
before police personnel arrived at the scene."
The
kidnapping is the third such incident in just two months.
Regional
police commissioner Ahmed Zaki confirmed the kidnapping at a press conference
at force headquarters in Port Harcourt, adding that efforts to locate the
victims were ongoing.
"The
incident is quite unfortunate and the police is on top of the situation in
ensuring that the hoodlums are arrested and brought to book," he said.
Kidnapping
for ransom used to be confined to Nigeria's oil-rich south, where criminal
gangs would typically target expatriate workers.
But
the practice has spread across the country as the economy has faltered with
Control Risks consultancy warning that the phenomenon has become
"entrenched" nationwide.
Nnamdi
Obasi, senior Nigeria researcher at the International Crisis Group, said
poverty had made "anybody" a target and had led to a rise in
"spontaneous" kidnappings.
Most
victims are usually released unhurt after ransom money is paid.