Police in Nigeria Monday said they have begun a search for 15 oil workers kidnapped last Friday in the oil-rich Rivers State.

State police spokesperson Nnamdi Omoni told Xinhua in the southern city of Port Harcourt that the police had mobilized their anti-kidnap unit and other special units for the operation.

Unknown gunmen seized 14 oil workers and their driver on their way to a project site along Omoku-Elele road area of the state.

"So far, we have succeeded in retrieving the car conveying them to work where it was abandoned and efforts are on to rescue them unharmed," he said.

Omoni said the police were determined to ensure the freeing of the workers and refused to give more details on operations carried out so far.

He urged the public to offer useful information that will help they fight crime in the state.

High-profile kidnappings of foreigners for ransom are rampant in the southern oil-rich states and most victims were released unharmed after payment of ransoms.

Source : XINHUA