Nigeria: Ambush attack and kidnapping near Port Harcourt August 28

Event

Unidentified gunmen hijacked a bus traveling to Port Harcourt on Monday, August 28, and kidnapped 11 people. According to a passenger who managed to escape, the assailants ambushed the bus between the Ndele and Elele Alimini neighborhoods on the East-West Road at approximately 21:00 (local time); four people escaped before the arrival of security operatives. Police forces have reportedly launched a manhunt to find the assailants and victims.

Context

Kidnapping is a longstanding concern in Nigeria. Both foreigners and locals face a high threat of abduction throughout the country, particularly from Boko Haram in the northeast or from Niger Delta rebel groups in the south. Expatriates face an especially high risk of kidnapping due to their perceived wealth compared to the local population.

Kidnappings are recurrent near Port Harcourt; this is the third such incident in the past two months. On August 7, gunmen ambushed a bus and abducted 16 people in the area.

Advice

The security environment in Nigeria is complex and particularly poor in the northeast and extreme south of the country due to the presence of armed groups, high crime rates, and the risk of kidnapping. Some Western governments consequently advise against travel to certain areas of the northeast (e.g. states of Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, and Jigawa as well as parts of Kano and Adamawa states) and the southern Niger Delta region (e.g. states of Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers). Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel to these areas.