Tension over whereabouts of eight kidnapped oil workers in Lagos

Vincent Toritseju

Lagos — There was tension yesterday at the MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, over the whereabouts of eight of its employees who were kidnapped on Monday, June 26, 2023, at the Lagos Island backwater.

Information at SweetcrudeReports’ disposal had it that the abducted employees: a Managing Director and seven others, were in a boat heading towards the Lekki area.

Apprehension however set in when the boat they boarded was found in a different area from where they were headed, without them. Sources at the oil company told our Correspondent that their laptops and bags were in the boat.

Sources said: “Eyewitnesses said they were forced out of their boat, into another, that took them away. The boat did not capsize. Their belongings were intact”.

Efforts to reach the Managing Director, MRS Plc, Mr. Marco Storari, failed, as his phone was switched off.

But the Chairman, of Lagos Maritime Security Zone of the Port Facility Security Officers Forum, PFSO, Mr. Adewole Gege, confirmed the incident. He informed me that as of yesterday, Wednesday, June 28, 2023, nothing had been heard from the kidnapped employees.

He also stated that family members of the affected employees had been informed.

Gege said “We hope we will get an update soon. Security authorizes have been alerted of the development and have begun investigation”.

A spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, SP Benjamin Hudenyin, also confirmed the incident when contacted. But he did not give further details.