Five Indian sailors kidnapped in Nigeria have been released. They were held captive for more than a month
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Five Indian sailors kidnapped off Nigeria's
oil-rich southern delta and held captive for more than a month have been
released by their abductors, a spokesman said Saturday.
The
sailors had been seized Dec. 17 as their ship, the SP Brussels, sat
about 40 miles (64 kilometers) off the coast of the Niger Delta.
The
men were in good health after their release and received medical
checkups before being flown back to India, said a statement released
Saturday on behalf of the ship's operator, Medallion Marine.
"Medallion
Marine wishes to express their admiration for the crew and their
families who have shown great courage and fortitude throughout this very
difficult situation," the statement read.
Martin Baxendale, a
spokesman for Medallion Marine, declined to comment Saturday on the
exact circumstances of the sailors' release. Typically, most foreign
hostages are held for days or weeks until a ransom amount is negotiated.
Foreigners can attract ransoms into the hundreds of thousands of
dollars.
Foreign oil companies have pumped oil out of the Niger
Delta, a region of mangroves and swamps the size of Portugal, for more
than 50 years. Despite the billions of dollars flowing into Nigeria's
government, many in the delta remain desperately poor, living in
polluted waters without access to proper medical care, education or
work. The poor conditions sparked an uprising in 2006 by militants and
opportunistic criminals who blew up oil pipelines and kidnapped foreign
workers.
That violence ebbed in 2009 with a government-sponsored
amnesty program that offered ex-fighters monthly payments and job
training. However, few in the delta have seen the promised benefits and
sporadic kidnappings and attacks continue. The end of the year in
Nigeria usually sees an increase in criminal activity, as criminal gangs
target the wealthy returning to the country to celebrate the holidays.
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