Two Indians among six kidnapped off Nigerian coast

Lagos: Gunmen attacked a vessel off southern Nigeria and kidnapped six foreigners on board, including three Ukrainians, two Indians and a Russian, police said Wednesday. Fidelis Odunna, police spokesperson in Bayelsa State, near where the incident took place, confirmed the abduction, which took place on Sunday. [caption id=“attachment_633386” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Photo for representational purpose only.[/caption] He identified the vessel as Armada Tuah, operated by Century Group, a company from Lagos state, reported Xinhua. So far, there was no clue about the whereabouts of those kidnapped, although security agents have launched a mission to locate and free them, he added. Police said pirates were seeking more than $1 million for the release of their captives. The confirmation was made after Russian media reported that pirates kidnapped the foreigners on board a ship 70 km off the coast of southern Nigeria Sunday. The attack was the fourth within 10 days, marking the worsening security situation in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea, where piracy and kidnappings have been frequently reported in recent years. IANS