US Moves to Free Citizens Abducted off Nigeria's Coast

 Marie Harf, US State Department spokeswoman

                              

The United States Chief of Mission Security at its mission in Nigeria has commenced investigation into the abduction of two of its nationals aboard an oil supply vessel on Wednesday by pirates off Nigerian coast, near Brass, Bayelsa State. The US State Department spokeswoman, Marie Harf, disclosed this yesterday during a daily press briefing in Washington DC.

Harf expressed deep concern over the abduction of the two Americans and said that the United States government was closely monitoring the situation.

Said Harf: “Obviously, our concern at this point is for the safe return of the two US citizens. The Chief of Mission Security at our mission in Nigeria is investigating the kidnapping report. We do believe that this was an act of piracy. Again, we are continuing to seek additional information and for privacy reasons can’t provide any additional information about the two U.S. citizens.”

Pirates had on Wednesday snatched the two American nationals off an oil-supply vessel in the latest incident of high-seas terror that has plagued the Gulf of Guinea region.

Reports indicate that vessels carrying cargo and petroleum in the oil-rich region have recently come become prime targets of the pirates. The vessel, C-Retriever was said to be carrying supplies to offshore oil rigs when pirates boarded and took the two Americans.

The United States has also refused to designate the kidnap as an “act of terrorism. The U.S. State Department spokeswoman said that it was closely monitoring the situation with the hope of resolving it soon but that it did not believe it was an act of terrorism.