Nine Koreans and a Nigerian were taken hostage by gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday in Mbiama, a border town between Rivers and Bayelsa states.
The Koreans are Messrs. M. S Lee; J. T Hong; W. S. Kim; N.S Kim; Y.M Park; Y.I. Yoon; J.C Choi; J.G Kim and J.J. Choi, with the Nigerian identified as Mrs. E. Augustine.
They are all employees of Daewoo Nigeria Limited. Daewoo is an oil servicing company working for the Shell Development Company and currently laying (40-inches) pipes from Gbarain in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State to Soku in Rivers State.
According to eyewitnesses, the militants stormed the Ogu Base of the company and took away the workers around 4 am without any resistance from the security men, amongst them, soldiers.
No fewer than 50 soldiers of the Brig-Gen. Alfred Ilogho-led Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta on guard duty reportedly took to their heels.
The Commissioner in charge of the State Police Command, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, confirmed the abduction of the workers in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents.
Ringim disclosed that two unexploded dynamite were recovered from the scene of the attack.
The CP said no life was lost and none was wounded in the attack, which took the workers by surprise.
As at the time of going to the press, there had been no word on the whereabouts of the hostages and no individual or group had claimed responsibility for the abduction of the workers.
A top official of the Bayelsa State Government, who pleaded anonymity, however claimed that the attack did not take place in the state but in Mbiama, which is in Rivers State.
The official said although the matter took place in Rivers State, the administration was making efforts to establish contacts with the captors with a view to ensuring the release of the men.
The source said that the company had been under constant pressure from irate youths over issues of contract jobs and paid employment, adding that the administration had intervened at some points before the attack.
The kidnap of the Koreans is coming as efforts are being made to locate and release five Chinese who were abducted last Friday by militants in Emuohua community of Rivers State.
Militants have lately stepped up their attacks on oil facilities and their workers, threatening the fragile security situation in the region and oil production.
Nigerian reportedly lost at least N570bn in 2006 to the series of attacks by the militants.
Daewoo Public Relations Manager, Mr Johnson Agagbo, described the incident as very unfortunate.
Agagbo, who said government had been notified of the incident, also called on the Federal Government to ensure the immediate release of the workers and to do something about, incessant hostage taking in the Niger Delta.
He said the company had been relating well with the host communities and was working on a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding for the people.