Abducted oil workers regain freedom

Four abducted members of a Joint Investigation Team probing the cause of an oil spill at Agip’s facility in Azuzuama, Southern Ijaw Local Government of Bayelsa State, have regained freedom.

Spokesman for the Joint Task Force in Niger Delta Major Ibrahim Abdullah said yesterday in Yenagoa that they were freed following pressure from the troops in search of the kidnappers.

Suspected kidnappers abducted the four persons, including two employees of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), in Azuzuama, along the waterways, on October 4.

The Director-General, National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Mr. Peter Idabor, whose employee was a victim, confirmed the release to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

“The incident occurred last week. The four people held hostage were freed yesterday. Our worker, who was among the victims, has reunited with his family.

“He was abducted with an official of the Bayelsa Ministry of Environment and two Agip workers. They were released together,” Idabor said.