Ahamefula Ogbu
5 October 2008
Port Harcourt — Six Filipinos on board a vessel, MV Avero, were in the early hours of yesterday attacked and kidnapped by unknown gunmen, three nautical miles off the Bonny Fairway Buoy in Rivers State.
The attack is coming on the heels of the release of a Briton, Mr. David Melford and a Nigerian housewife, Mrs. Paula Magani kidnapped in the last two weeks.
The duo were released in the early hours of yesterday without the payment of any ransom, according to military sources.
Security sources said detailed report of the latest kidnap is yet to be received while the Joint (military) Task Force (JTF) in the state said it has heard of the incident but was yet to confirm.
According to information available to THISDAY, the Captain of the vessel, two engineers, chief officer and two seamen were on board the vessel when the attackers arrived and all of them were subsequently taken away.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack which came at a time when the waterways were adjudged relatively safe after the face-off between militants and the JTF which lasted for about six days.
"MV Avero, a vessel was attacked this morning three nautical miles from Fairway Buoy. Six crew, all Filipinos were taken including the Captain, two Engineers, Chief Officer and two able bodied seamen", a report from one of the sources said.
The Briton, who was released yesterday morning at 4 am is married to a Nigerian and formerly worked for Indorama which took over the management of Eleme Petrochemical Company. He was kidnapped two weeks ago by unknown gunmen.
The kidnappers had initially demanded for N50 million before negotiations on the kidnap went silent. The expatriate was set free in circumstances the spokesman of the JTF, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, said tally with their position of non payment of ransom.
Also, Paula, whose kidnap went unreported as pressmen were kept out of it, was also released yesterday morning at about 2 am and without the payment of ransom.
Musa confirmed the release of the duo but said he needed time to confirm the fresh incident of the kidnap of the Filipinos.
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