The details about the newest kidnapping are sketchy, while Associated Press report quoted a Nigerian military commander in the region named Lawrence Ngubane as saying that the five were abducted in two separate incidents.

So far no group has claimed responsibility for the abduction.

Since the beginning of this year, more than 100 foreigners have been abducted in southeastern Nigeria.

Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer with a daily crude output of 2.6 million barrels.

However, the repeated occurrence of kidnapping has frightened thousands of foreign oil workers away since last year, forcing the oil production to reduce by nearly 25 percent.