Nigeria: Oil corporation confirms Boko Haram kidnapping

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA)- Nigeria’s state-owned oil corporation on Thursday confirmed the abduction of several of its workers in the restive northeast by Boko Haram, saying their whereabouts remain unknown.

The confirmation comes two days after Boko Haram fighters ambushed the workers in the Gubio area, reportedly killing several of them, including at least nine soldiers who the army says were on a rescue mission.

Local news media are reporting the killing of some 48 persons in the ambush, including soldiers, member of a local vigilante group, and the oil workers, whose bodies they say were brought to a government hospital in Maiduguri, Borno’s capital.

There was no official confirmation of the death toll outside the nine the army confirmed late Wednesday.

"We're gladdened by reports of the rescue of some of the victims. We however await official confirmation from military authorities," Petroleum Minister and Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC) head Ibe Kachikwu told a news briefing on Thursday in the capital Abuja.

Kachikwu stopped short of confirming the death of any of the workers but he said the corporation will suspend further activities in the area for now.

"Provided there's sufficient security clearance, the NNPC will definitely go back and continue to explore for oil in the area," he added, rejecting criticisms of its activities in an area dogged by insecurity.

"NNPC re-entry into the Chad Basin wasn't misguided. For six months, they've been operating in the area as there's some stability. We've got the security clearance on NNPC re-entry. We're not alone on this, our neighbors are also drilling across the border," Kachikwu stated.

Boko Haram has stepped up attacks in the region in recent weeks, especially suicide bombings, casting doubt over government claims the group no longer poses a serious security threat.

Last week army chief Tukur Buratai ordered troops to track down Boko Haram factional chief Abubakar Shekau dead or alive within the next 40 days.