The crew of an oil tanker hijacked in Nigerian waters is from Russia, Georgia and the Philippines and is probably being held hostage for ransom, a shipping security expert said on Thursday.
Claims that the Greek-owned MT Leon Dias was boarded last week by separatists espousing an independent state of Biafra in Southeast Nigeria was likely a cover to lend legitimacy to a kidnapping for ransom, Dirk Steffen, the maritime security director of Denmark-based Risk Intelligence, told The Associated Press (AP).
The hijackers abandoned the ship Sunday and took five hostages with them, he said, including the Filipino captain and third engineer, the Russian chief engineer and electrician and a fitter from Georgia.
A man who identified himself by the nom-de-guerre General Ben — similar to titles used by Niger Delta oil militants — had threatened to blow up the ship with its crew if authorities did not release Nnamdi Kanu, the director of the banned Radio Biafra detained since October 17 and accused of terrorism by the Nigerian government. The two main separatist groups have denied involvement in the hijacking.
The Nigerian Navy said Wednesday the ship was off the coast of Cotonou, the commercial capital of neighbouring Benin, guarded by that country’s navy.
The Nigerian government has made no comment on the hijacking, which comes amid renewed attacks on oil and gas installations in the southern Niger Delta believed to have been carried out by militants.
Security forces said Wednesday they arrested some suspects in the sabotage, but did not say how many.
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