ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
The Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) has confirmed the killing of three of its employees last Sunday in Okoroma community of Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
Three Agip workers and some operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were ambushed close to the Obama oil flowstation while carrying out repair works of some facilities.
One personnel of the NSCDC and three NAOC workers were confirmed dead after the attack.
Agip in a statement issued via electronic mail, said: “With deep sorrow, Eni (parent company of Agip), confirms that a group of Eni contractors accompanied by security operatives were attacked by an armed group causing as far as we know three fatalities and 2 injuries.”
The company also confirmed that those killed were part of the contractors working with the oil multinational on a Mangrove Restoration project, which envisages the restoration of mangroves in the swamp area of Nigeria.
It said the project was seriously damaged by illegal refineries and spills due to sabotage.
Agip also expressed concern over the precarious and worsening general security situation along the creeks and the swamp areas of Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta region.
It noted that the situation, which they described as precarious, had put in danger and harmed the company workers and contractors as well as the local communities.
Recall that suspected sea pirates in the early hours of last Sunday launched a multiple ambushes on some workers with the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in Okoroma and Ogbokiri-Akassa communities of Nembe and Brass local government areas of Bayelsa State.
The gunmen reportedly shot dead three workers of the oil company and personnel of the NSCDC.
The driver of their boat, who is an indigene of Okoroma community is still declared missing by the locals.
In the ambush that occurred at Ogbokiri-Akassa in Brass LGA, six Nigerian oil workers, who were busy doing maintenance job close to their platform were abducted and whisked away to an unknown destination.