Gunmen abducted eleven people from a charabanc every bit they travelled around Nigeria's southern stone oil hub Port Harcourt slowly on Monday, a rider who escaped from the assail told AFP.
The percentage close Port Harcourt is a known hotspot for kidnappings past times groups looking to have ransom pay-offs together with was the scene of an abduction that saw sixteen people snatched before this month.
"They ambushed us at most 9.00 pm... together with later on quest us to come upwards out from the bus, they tried to direct maintain us within the bush. But 5 of us escaped before constabulary together with armed forces personnel arrived," said Amiekro Princewill.
Security forces searched the surface area next the attack, according to some other rider who managed to escape the gunmen.
"They had gone far into the woods amongst the victims before the safety operatives arrived," said the escapee, Bright Belekwe.
"Hoodlums ambushed us together with tried to direct maintain us within the bush. I together with 4 others escaped before constabulary personnel arrived at the scene."
The kidnapping is the tertiary such incident inward but 2 months.
Regional constabulary commissioner Ahmed Zaki confirmed the kidnapping at a press conference at forcefulness headquarters inward Port Harcourt, adding that efforts to locate the victims were ongoing.
"The incident is quite unfortunate together with the constabulary is on top of the province of affairs inward ensuring that the hoodlums are arrested together with brought to book," he said.
Kidnapping for ransom used to endure confined to Nigeria's oil-rich south, where criminal gangs would typically target expatriate workers.
But the exercise has spread across the province every bit the economic scheme has faltered amongst Control Risks consultancy alert that the phenomenon has larn "entrenched" nationwide.
Nnamdi Obasi, senior Nigeria researcher at the International Crisis Group, said poverty had made "anybody" a target together with had led to a ascent inward "spontaneous" kidnappings.
Most victims are normally released unhurt later on ransom coin is paid.
AFP