By IANS
New Delhi : Ten Indians abducted in the oil-rich Rivers state of Nigeria have been freed by militants after 16 days in captivity.
They have been released and are free to stay back or return home, sources in the external affairs ministry said here Saturday.
All of them worked with a franchise of Indorama, an Indonesia-based firm that employs a large number of Indians.
Indorama, the majority stakeholder of the Eleme petrochemical plant near the Nigerian oil city of Port Harcourt, had deputed a director-level officer to Nigeria to negotiate with the kidnappers.
Two other kidnapped Indians – Sunil Dave and Devashish Kakoti – were released five days ago after spending 25 days in captivity. They had been kidnapped from their residential quarters in Port Harcourt May 19.
The Indian high commission in Nigeria had been in constant touch with the Nigerian authorities for an early release of the kidnapped Indians.
Earlier this month, the Indian government had also issued a travel advisory warning Indians against travel to the interiors of that country.
Around 120 Indian nationals working for Eleme Petrochemical Company in southern Nigeria have left the country following the kidnappings.
Militant groups demanding a greater share of government oil revenues have carried out bombings, kidnappings and protests since 2005 that have already shut down a third of production of the Nigerian field – a key supplier to the US.