Nigeria: Gunmen Kidnap Toddler

Wire reports are claiming that gunmen have kidnapped the two-year-old daughter of a Shell worker in Port Harcourt. The child was abducted when the unidentified gunmen raided her father’s residence in the city on Wednesday night.

“We have information that the daughter of one of our staffers was kidnapped. We appeal for an early release of the little girl,” Shell spokesman Precious Okolobo said.

“There was an armed robbery incident last night in which the robbers took away a girl. We have commenced investigations,” Rivers state police spokeswoman Ireju Barasua confirmed.

The motive for the kidnapping was not clear and no group has claimed responsibility. Major Musa Sagir, a spokesman for the Joint Task Force (JTF), the unit in charge of policing the restive oil region, said his men had launched a manhunt for the kidnappers. The nationality of the girl and her parents is not known.