afrol News, 11 June - Armed men have abducted Cameroonian government official and other five soldiers in an attack in the oil-rich Bakassi peninsula bordering Nigeria.

A group of heavily armed pirates operating from land opened fire on the military boat carrying eight soldiers and deputy regional governor of Kombo Abedimo on Monday night.

Pensinsula was handed over to Cameroon in August 2006 by Nigerian government after a territorial dispute that led to a series of bloody clashes between the west African neighbours in the 1990s.

Reports show that three soldiers managed to dive into water while bandits took unknown direction with six riders as well as weapons on board. The army said Cameroonian forces were searching the area which has now been sealed off.

Cameroonian army chief said this attack is part of recurring acts of piracy in both the Niger Delta and the Gulf of Guinea, saying a matter was a source of great concern not only to governments within the region but also to the international community.

He said other similar attacks had been reported recently in the oil-rich region, where an act of instability is likely to push world crude oil prices on an upward swing to the detriment of consumers.

Cameroonian Police had earlier arrested a number of people accused of being arms dealers in Bakassi area.

Attacks come at a time when government has been vocal about peace in the region for amongst others, implementation development projects that have been supported by the European Union.

A Nigerian former local government chairman from Bakassi, Mr Emmanuel Etene, said women and children were fleeing the area because they fear reprisal attacks.

Pirate attacks in the country are increasing, having killed 21 Cameroonian soldiers in November last year by an unidentified group of armed men.

The rest of the area is due to be handed over in August this year though some of the residents in the area said they do not want to give up being Nigerian.

While both Nigeria and Cameroon are sourcing crude oil from Peninsula and its offshore areas, increasing pirate attacks are devastating Nigeria-Cameroon efforts to return the acclaimed land.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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