Nigerian military operation Joint Task Force in southeastern Rivers State has confirmed the abduction of a Romanian crew member in an attack on a vessel carrying 4000 metric tons of diesel near the water of state capital Port Harcourt.
Spokesman of the task force, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, told local media in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that the vessel was attacked by suspected militants on January 20, along the Bonny River near Port Harcourt.
He said part of the vessel was also damaged by the gunmen during the attack. According to him, the vessel sailed unescorted and thus became an easy target for militants.
He said that it was agreed in 2007 that vessels sailing in the Niger Delta region should seek the services of gunboat escorts from the navy. Musa expressed concern over the resurgence of sea piracy, hijacking of vessels and abduction of crew members in the nation's coastal waters.
"From January 2 to date, eight cases of sea piracy and four cases of abduction have been recorded," he was quoted as saying by the News Agency of Nigeria.
The military spokesman urged oil and shipping companies to avail themselves of the services of the naval component of the task force in providing security or escort for their vessels.
"We also urge shipping and oil companies to cleanse themselves of bad elements from within," he said, adding that there were established cases of collaboration between workers and militants in some of the attacks.
Since the beginning of 2006, several hundred foreigners have been kidnapped in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta region by a mixture of militants and criminals.