Kidnappers of three Lebanese sailors and other crew members of a vessel off the coast of Nigeria have made contact to demand a ransom for their release.
This was disclosed by the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
Specifically, the Lebanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Hossam Diab, revealed that the kidnappers had contacted head of Global Shipping Company Limited; operators of the vessel to make their demands.
The contact had spoken with the captain, the assistants, and two of the kidnapped Lebanese, all of whom were fine. Although the specific amount demanded as ransom by the kidnappers was undisclosed; indications reveal that it is a hefty sum.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs say negotiations are continuing over the ransom amount demanded by the kidnappers.
The InfoStride had earlier reported that pirates operating off the coast of Nigeria had abducted three Lebanese sailors.
This was revealed by the Lebanon Ambassador, Diab.
Diab informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday that the commercial ship; which went missing somewhere between Nigeria and Cameroon, had been hijacked.
The ambassador disclosed that the pirates had released the ship and two sailors; adding that three Lebanese and five people of other nationalities are still among the hostages.
In a related development, a Chinese expatriate kidnapped in Ekiti state last week has regained his freedom.
Feelers reveal that the kidnappers released the Chinese national after allegedly receiving a ransom of N100m.
The kidnapped expatriate was one of the contractors engaged by the Ekiti State government to construct the new Ado Ekiti-Iyin Ekiti road.
However, he was abducted last Friday at the site by gunmen. In addition, the gunmen had also killed one of the policemen attached to the contractors.
A source close to the road construction company said the abductee was released by his captors around 11pm on Tuesday.
This was after the ransom of N100m had been picked up by the kidnappers. The source revealed that the ransom was collected in Kwara state. Thereafter, the expatriate was released around Ilawe-Igede road in Ekiti state.
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