Updated

Cameroonian officials say they believe 11 kidnapped government officials are being held in neighboring Nigeria.

Cornelius Edonde said Tuesday that witnesses reported seeing hostages being taken to an island on Nigeria's side of the border after being kidnapped.

Edonde is the mayor of Kombo Etindi, an island inside Cameroon's oil-rich Bakassi peninsula.

Pirates kidnapped the officials on Sunday, and killed two Cameroonian paramilitary policemen on Monday.

Edonde said he fears the attacks were carried out by the Bakassi Freedom Fighters, a militant faction that disputes Cameroon's ownership of the oil-rich land.

Bakassi was officially handed over to Cameroon in August 2008 following a verdict two years earlier by the International Court of Justice.