Reprieve came the way of the five kidnapped workers attached to an indigenous dredging firm, Beks Kimse Nig Ltd following their rescue by men of the Police Anti-kidnapping team in the Nembe coastal area of Bayelsa State.
The workers who were seized in the early hours of last Friday by armed men at a dredging site in the creek of Opuama in Southern Ijaw local government area were reportedly abandoned in the Nembe creek Monday evening by their captors.
Though it could not be independently confirmed if ransom was paid before they were released, their kidnappers had reportedly demanded N30million as ransom.
The dredging firm is handling NDDC sponsored shore protection and reclamation work at the erosion troubled riverside town of Opuama.
It was learnt that some top former militant leaders from the Southern Ijaw council area were contacted and they in turn reached out to their contacts in the creek who claimed the suspected kidnappers are known miscreants terrorizing the area.
The suspected kidnappers were alleged to have also attacked some passenger boats and contract staff of some oil majors including the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).
A source close to the contracting firm, handling the Opuama shore protection and reclamation project, said the abducted workers were set free on Monday at about 3pm after negotiation.
He however declined to comment on whether the kidnappers ransom demand was met saying the released workers had since returned to Port Harcourt in Rivers State.
Contacted on the development, the state police public relations officer, Mr.Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the release of the dredging workers without ransom.
“Yes, they have been released at about 7pm on Monday and dropped at Nembe Community where the Police Anti-kidnapping team rescued them,” he said.
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