UPDATES ON AGIP COMPANY TUG BOAT, ATTACKERS DEMAND N5M RANSOM

By Akpabio Aniema

Gunmen of a chief engineer and captain from the Nigerian Agip Oil company tugboat, who were abducted along the waterways of Nembe, Bayelsa State have demanded for a ransom of N5million. A security source speaking under anonymity, said on Tuesday that seven gunmen who attacked Agip tugboat contracted the company to demand for a ransom of N5 million before setting the captives free.

The boat which sailed from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Brass in Bayelsa, to load petroleum products at Agip terminal was attacked by the hoodlums on Saturday evening at Peter’s Town Nembe. The Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta had claimed responsibility for the attack. But the security source said security operatives comprising of the Nigerian Navy and the Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, did not have clues on the whereabouts of the gunmen and their victims. ‘‘They only contacted the company and demanded for N5 million ransom, negotiations are going on and they may likely reduce it. Security operatives don’t know their whereabouts,’’ he claimed.