Irate youths from Afriyo, Eket, in Akwa Ibom State, yesterday, hijacked a 32-seater coaster bus conveying oil workers to the Uquo Marginal Oil Fields operated by Frontier Oil Ltd.
The youths waylaid the bus and forcefully hijacked it and drove it to the palace of the Village Head, where the oil workers were later released unharmed.
The Toyota Coaster staff bus was, however, detained at the premises of the community leader.
Police sources in Eket, confirmed that no casualty was recorded on the part of the staff.
It was learnt that when a detachment of armed policemen were sent to retrieve the bus and arrest the youths, chiefs in the area addressed the policemen and offered themselves for arrest in place of the youths.
Chief Eshiet Abasiekong, Village Head of Afriyo community, told newsmen that the incident was not a kidnap case. “We did not kidnap employees of Frontier Oil, the Council of Chiefs gave the directive to our youths to seize the bus to protest the neglect of our community in the employment opportunities.
“This community has oil wells which are part of the Uquo marginal oil fields, yet we are not accommodated in the operations of the company. The impounded bus will not be released until they give us employment slots due to us,” Abasiekeong said.
He said that officials of the company had scheduled a meeting later, yesterday, with the community to resolve the face off.
When our reporter visited the Palace of the Community leader, the Toyota Coaster bus was seen with palm fronds attached in front and back.
Officials of the oil firm could not be reached for comments as several visits to their Eket Office and telephone calls yielded no results.
