Nigeria: Security forces free captured oil workers July 26 /update 1

Event

Nigerian military officials announced on Wednesday, July 26, that security forces had rescued all ten oil workers kidnapped by suspected Boko Haram militants in Borno state. According to a military spokesman, soldiers also recovered the bodies of nine soldiers and a civilian. Security forces also reportedly killed a number of militants and recovered weapons, ammunition, and other supplies.

Context

On Tuesday, July 25, members of the Department of Geology and Surveying from the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) were abducted by unidentified gunmen near the village of Jibi, Borno state. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) had contracted the team to carry out research work on oil exploration activities in the Lake Chad basin.

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

The northeastern region of Nigeria is highly susceptible to attacks by Boko Haram, which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) in March 2015 and formally adopted the name of Islamic State in West Africa. Public venues (markets, places of worship, schools, bars, areas where broadcasts of sports competitions are displayed, etc.) as well as security forces and governmental buildings are frequently struck by attacks, suicide bombings (targeted or untargeted), and kidnappings (regularly followed by assassination and targeting primarily foreign nationals).

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.