Xinhua added that a group calling itself the “Africa Marine Commando” has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, which occurred on Friday morning.
The Chinese and Cameroonian governments are paying great attention to the issue, added the agency quoting the Chinese embassy in Cameroon.
Measures have been taken to ensure the release of the hostages as rapidly as possible, Xinhua said.
According to the Chinese embassy in Cameroon, the seven kidnapped Chinese nationals were in “no life danger” for the time being and that the kidnappers had provided them with water and food.
Meanwhile, other reports say that two fishing vessels of China’s Dalian Beihai Fishing Company were attacked and robbed at around 2am Friday. The ships returned to the port of Limbe around 7 am with two sailors on board slightly injured, added Xinhua.
Attacks by gunmen were reported in recent years off the Bakassi peninsula. A group of assailants attacked an oil vessel working in an offshore oilfield for the French petroleum Total in October 2008. Ten of the 15 crew members on board the vessel “Bourbon Sagitta” were kidnapped near Bakassi.
A series of attacks had killed several army officers in the same area before the Frenchmen were taken hostage.
The Cameroonian army deployed a Rapid Response Unit (RRU/ DELTA) in April 2009 to beef up security in the peninsula in the Gulf of Guinea.
In October 2009, the RRU/ DELTA killed four pirates and wounded four others at the Idabato sea opening in the Bakassi peninsula.
Source: African Press Agency
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