Gunmen have kidnapped six Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) workers in Nigeria.
Police said the four foreign nationals and two Nigerians were taken in the southern oil-producing Bayelsa state on Monday.
“At about 15:30 (1430 GMT), some armed men went to a Hyundai location in a forest by the Atlantic Ocean beach and kidnapped four expatriates and two Nigerians,” Bayelsa police spokesman Fidelis Odunna told reporters.
“The police are going to beef up security around all companies that have expatriates,” he said.
A fisherman, Tare Kolugha, said he witnessed the abductions as the workers were travelling to their workplace in southern Bayelsa state.
“We were on the waters fishing close to Odioma Creek when we noticed two … boats with armed men (who) shot into the air and stopped the passenger boat conveying the Hyundai workers to their yard,” he told AFP.
HHI confirmed the kidnappings, but said one of the Nigerians had apparently been released.
“The foreign ministry and the South Korean embassy in Nigeria are operating an emergency task force led by the ambassador,” it added.
“Related government agencies have held emergency meetings and are keeping in close contact with the Nigerian police authorities and the foreign ministry to ensure the safety and early release of the abductees,” it said.
Most non-Nigerians working for HHI in Bayelsa are South Korean.
