The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army has rescued 10 foreigners abducted in Gabon in Tombia, a creek in Bille waterways, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State after a ransom of $300,000 was paid for their release.
The Commanding Officer, 29 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Yahaya, revealed this on Saturday at the Bori Camp of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Those kidnapped and rescued were six Chinese, three Indonesians, a Gabonese and four Nigerians, said to have facilitated their release.
They were rescued in the early hours of Saturday by men of the 29 Battalion, under 6 Division, Nigerian Army.
They were reportedly assisted by a local vigilance group.
Yahaya, who spoke when he handed over the rescued foreigners and their Nigerian negotiators to the Department of State Services for further investigation, 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.”