Three kidnapped Dutch nationals freed by militants

The three Dutch nationals kidnapped on Sunday by gun wielding militants have regained their freedom.
They are Erhard Leffers and Marianne Vos, who work for a printing and publishing company in Dedemsvaart, Netherlands; and a documentary film maker, Jandries Groenendijk.
The trio were seized in Letugbene waterfront in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The three Dutch nationals were in a trip to the Niger Delta when they were abducted alongside Comrade Sunny Ofehe, the Chief Executive Director of Hope for Niger Delta Campaign, and Femi Soewu, a Creative Director of Africaweb Television.
The trio were in the Niger Delta to inspect a hospital built in Amatu II through a Chevron GMoU programme and see how they could help the locals sustain the hospital through medical support and international partnership.
The two Nigerians, who were among the victims, were blindfolded and eventually released on Monday night and left in a location in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, but the kidnappers had held on to Erhard, Marrianne and Jan Dries.
It was not clear if any ransom was paid but the kidnappers had first demanded for N350 million for their release.
Sources said that the ransom was later reduced to N98 million, then to N15 million for each of the victims, thus making the sum to be N45 million.
The last amount demanded as ransom by the militants before they were released on Saturday was N10 million, which amounts to 45,000 euro
The Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, retired Rear Admiral John Jonah, on Saturday night handed over the three Dutch nationals to the Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria after they were brought to the Government House, Onopa, Yenagoa by the state Police Commissioner, Hilary Opara.
Jonah assured the Ambassador that the kidnappers would be fished out.
Ofehe, an Amsterdam-based environmental activist, confirmed the release of the three Dutch nationals.
“I just want to inform everyone that they are free and that they are safe and in good health,” Ofehe said.