Two Turkish construction workers kidnapped in Nigeria

LAGOS

Two Turkish construction workers were abducted from their hotel rooms in Nigeria’s oil-rich Akwa Ibom state on April 9, a Nigerian police spokesman said April 11, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.        

Police officer Chukwu Okechukwu told the country’s official news agency NAN that the workers were abducted from Eket, an oil-rich town dozens of kilometers away from Akwa Ibom’s capital city, Uyo.        

“The state police command is working tirelessly to rescue the expatriates. The commissioner of police has mobilized the anti-kidnapping unit and a special anti-crime unit to ensure that they are freed unhurt,” Okechukwu said.        

Okechukwu said the Turkish nationals worked for the BKS Construction Company in Onna in Akwa Ibom and had been kidnapped from an airstrip hotel in Eket where they were staying.        

The Turkish Embassy in the capital Abuja confirmed the incident and said it is in contact with local authorities to ensure their release.        

The embassy added that the kidnappers made a high ransom demand for the release of the two Turkish nationals.