A vessel believed to be conveying oil equipment was reportedly attacked Sunday morning near Bakassi waters, controlled by Cameroon forces.
Security personnel who accompanied the vessel were said to have abandoned the boat and fled when the attackers opened fire at the boat.
The militants are suspected to be armed loyalists of secessionist agitators operating mostly around the Bakassi maritime creeks.
The foreign vessel was said to be heading towards Cameroon’s maritime border area with Nigeria.
The sources said the incident occurred at Archibong town, Isangele subdivision of Bakassi Peninsula on the side of Cameroon but that the attackers were unable to hijack the boat as intended.
Nigeria and Cameroon are jointly exploring oil at the maritime borders of the Bakassi Peninsula in accordance with the Green Tree Agreements which ceded part of the Peninsula to Cameroon.
Insecurity and pirate attacks have continued to increase in that axis in recent times with Biafra separatists being the major challenge.
Reacting on his Facebook page, the leader of BNL, Princewill Richards said he met with leaders in Bakassi Peninsula and called for collaboration between stakeholders to stem the rising insecurity in the region.
