An operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and four contract staff at Conoil field in Bayelsa, have regained freedom.

The spokesman for the NSCDC in Bayelsa, Solomon Ogbere, confirmed on Wednesday.

“Our colleague and four others abducted are back. We are still on the trail of the hoodlums who perpetrated the dastardly act.

“We were supported by members of the community and sister security agencies.

“The command has always built a cordial relationship with members of communities where our men are deployed and this helped us in this situation.

“We are still on the trail of the criminals and remain optimistic that they will be soon apprehended to face the law,” Mr Ogbere said.

The five victims were kidnapped on their way from Yenagoa to Koluama 1 in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

The four contract staff are employees of a catering contractor to Conoil.

They were seized along with supplies for personnel at the Conoil location in Koluama 1.

Community youths in Southern Ijaw had raised a search party shortly after the abduction eight days ago.

Gunmen had on November 27 attacked and killed one NSCDC personnel and two oil workers, and kidnapped seven others at the creek of Nembe Local Government Area.

The state government had imposed a curfew on its waterways and banned the use of speed boats with 200 horsepower engines on all waterways.

Efforts to speak with the spokesman for Conoil was not successful.