One of the 14 persons kidnapped by gunmen yesterday around Elele axis in Rivers State has escaped from the hands of the assailants.

This is according to the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Francis Odesanya.

The CP, who told our correspondent that the victims are oil workers, wondered why the driver carried on even after their security escorts had stopped to fuel their vehicles.

He, however, said his men have been on the trail of the kidnappers and are currently combing the bushes to apprehend them.

Gunmen kidnapped 14 local oil workers and their driver, police confirmed on Friday.

The incident took place on a road connecting the towns of Omoku and Elele, around 50km from the city of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, in the early hours of Friday as the employees of Nigerian energy company, Nestoil, traveled to work, police said.

“We have recovered the vehicle they were traveling in before the incident occurred. Police are currently combing bushes around the area in a bid to find and release the victims,” said, the Police PRO in the state, Nnamdi Omoni.

“I do not think there was a foreigner among those kidnapped. Their abductors have not made any contact and nobody has been arrested yet,” added Nnamdi told Reuters.