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At Last, Somali Pirates Set Nigerian Merchant Ship Crew Members Free
5 June 2009
Lagos — An official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today in Abuja said Captain Graham Egbegi and other crew members held hostage by Somali pirates aboard a Nigerian merchant ship were today set free by the pirates. The official did not give details of their release. He however told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that "the ministry will come out with details of their release very soon," saying that "there are clear indications that they have been released and they are on their way to Yemen." The Senate had April this year summoned the Minister of Defence, Dr. Shettima Mustapha, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe and their counterpart in the Ministry of Interior, Major General Godwin Abbe (rtd) to appear before it. They were to explain what they know about the abandonment of a Nigerian ship and its 10-man crew that was captured by Somali pirates. The upper house of the National Assembly also extended the invitation to the National Security Adviser, General Sarki Muktar (rtd) and the chairman/chief executive of ESL Integrated Services Limited, Mr. George Onokpite. The resolution by the Senate was consequent upon a motion co-sponsored by Senators Victom Ndoma-Egba, Effiong Bob and Muhammed Mana entitled: "Abandonment of Nigerian Ship and Crew in Captivity in Somalia." According to Ndoma-Egba, "on or about Tuesday, August 5, 2008, a ten-man all Nigerian crew, sailing back home to Nigeria via the Indian (sic) Ocean route, with their vessel freshly purchased and delivered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, were intercepted and captured by Somali militants/pirates who are demanding $1 million as ransom fee or face summary execution." He noted that several months after the ship was hijacked and the crew members taken hostage, nothing substantial had been done by the Federal Government or the owner of the ship to secure their release. The members of the crew include: Egbegi, Engineer David Akpoguma, Namo Musa, Usman Ochoche Agida, Lucky Edoja, John Nkanu, Effiong Joseph Bassey, Emma Okon Timothy, Okuns Kalikio and Bassey Etim. The ship, Yenagoa Ocean, belonging to ESL Integrated Services, had berthed in Mogadishu to seek medical attention for some crew members who were sick. The ship was on its way from Dubai through the Pacific when it was hijacked. The captain had earlier obtained a clearance to head for Mogadishu for the treatment, but shortly after the ship berthed the militants stormed the ship and seized it. Piracy has become a thriving "business" in Somalia since the country slid into chaos after warlords toppled military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. Many pirates describe themselves as "coastguards" protecting their waters against illegal fishing and dumping of toxic waste.
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