Lagos, Nigeria - Gunmen numbering about 16 have attacked an ExxonMobil supply ship in Nigeria and abducted the captain, company sources said Tuesday. The gunmen, who came in a speedboat, attacked MV Wilbert near the OSO crude oil production platform at the Qua Iboe oil fields operated by the Nigerian subsidiary of the US firm, off the Atlantic shoreline in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom state, on Monday.
The identity and nationality of the captain are yet unknown.
The company has confirmed the abduction, saying in a statement: “Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN), operator of the joint venture with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, confirms that in the early hours of Monday October 17, 2011, some armed men attacked a third party vessel near our facilities, offshore Akwa Ibom State.
“At this time, we do not know the identity of the attackers, nor reason for their action. The incident has been reported to security and relevant government agencies.'
A similar incident happened 30 Sept., near the Idoho oil platform some 20 kilometres from Atlantic shoreline in Ibeno, when gunmen attacked a supply vessel and kidnapped a contractor, who has yet to be released.
Pana 19/10/2011
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