KIDNAPPERS of 14 oil workers in Rivers State have demanded the sum of N100m for the release of their victims.
It was gathered that the kidnappers had established contact with some families of those held captive for the past four days, asking them to make the sum available if they wanted their loved ones to regain freedom.
Gunmen had hijacked a Toyota Coaster bus conveying the oil workers, who are employees of Nestoil Plc.
The vehicle was travelling from Omoku to Port Harcourt on Friday when it was intercepted by the hoodlums.
The incident happened at about 12.20pm along Omoku-Elele road, even as the kidnappers drove the vehicle to a different point before ordering the occupants into the bush.
A source close to the family of one of the victims said they (kidnappers) had established contact and were demanding for N100m as ransom.
“Yes, they spoke with one of the family members of their victim and they are demanding for N100m for the release of the 14 oil workers.
“We also learnt that the kidnappers had put calls across to some people in authority to make the money available so that the oil workers would be released,” the source added.
The PUNCH, however, gathered that the oil workers would have prevented their abduction if they had waited for security agencies to fill the vehicles tanks with fuel.
According to a source in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, the workers left in a hurry without waiting for police escort.
“If they (oil workers) had been patient enough to wait for the policemen to fuel their vehicle, this would not have happened because they (police) would have escorted them out of ONELGA,” the source said.
When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, said he was not aware of any demand by the kidnappers.
Omoni told our correspondent that the police had intensified their search with a view to rescuing the victims and apprehending the kidnappers.
“We are still searching; our men have been combing the bushes since the incident happened and I am sure that the victims will be rescued very soon,” the state police spokesman said.
PUNCH NG
