From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The 6 Division, Nigerian Army, has rescued ten foreigners abducted in Gabon, in Tombia, a creek in Bille waterways, Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State, after a ransom of $300,000 was paid for their release.
The victims, among whom were six Chinese, three Indonesians, and a Gabonese along with four Nigerians, said to have facilitated their release, were rescued early in the morning of yesterday (Saturday) by men of the 29 Battalion, under 6 Division, Nigerian Army assisted by a local vigilance group.
Commanding Officer, 29 Battalion, Lt. Col. Mohammed Yahaya, gave preliminary findings at the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt, where he handed over the rescued foreigners and the Nigerian negotiators of their ransom and release to men of the Department of State Security (DSS) for further investigations on the incident.
Yahaya said: “From preliminary findings, they were kidnapped off the coast of Gabon, on 7 February and brought into Nigerian creeks. A ransom of $300,000 was paid to secure their release before we came in.
“After that settlement, as they were about bringing them out of the creeks, they had issues that made them even susceptible to kidnapping again.
“So, men of the 29 Battalion, under the 6 Division, in conjunction with local vigilante launched that operation and were able to rescue them.
“They have a trolley, Socipeg, registered in Gabon. It was in (the) course of their fishing activities that they were kidnapped. DSS are expected to do further investigations to unravel the circumstance and enable us to go after the abductors.”