BY MIKE ODIEGWU
Five Pakistanis, who regained freedom after spending 12 days with their abductors, have said their abductors lamented bad governance in Nigeria which they gave as the reason for their criminal action.
Our correspondent also gathered that the wife of the retired Bayelsa Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Anne Ziworitin, who was also kidnapped in a separate  incident, had been released by her captors.
A top security source told our correspondent that Ziworitin regained her freedom after her family paid N2m to the kidnappers.
She was released after spending eight days in the kidnappers’ den.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, said the kidnappers tortured and inflicted injuries on her.
Meanwhile, Ziworitin was reportedly released on Monday evening after spending about eight days in the kidnappers den.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, confirmed to our correspondent that Ziworitin had been released but he said he was not aware of the incident involving the Pakistanis.
“The Pakistanis matter was not reported to the police”, he said.
However, he said he could not confirm whether the gunmen that abducted the Pakistanis collected ransom to set them free or not.
The Pakistanis were abducted on May 24, 2013, off the coast of Bayelsa State by gunmen who attacked their vessel christened MT MATRIX.
They were, however, freed on Wednesday through the efforts of the former Secretary-General of the Ijaw Youths Congress, Mr. Duncan Eradiri.
Eradiri, who is a presidential candidate in the forthcoming IYC election, was said to have led the negotiation that compelled the gunmen to free their victims.
The five Pakistanis were identified as Rashid Igbal, Wajid Muhammad, Waqas Admed, Mushtag Admed and Mujtaba Ghlum Muhammad.
They are workers of Metrix Energy, an oil servicing company.
Eradiri told our correspondent that no ransom was paid.
But Muhammad, identified as the leader of the crew members on board the attacked ship, said the gunmen who kidnapped them were five.
He said their assailants operated in one speed boat along the Akassa River.
He said the gunmen forced them into their boat and whisked them away to an unknown place after stealing their valuables.
Muhammad, however, said heir abductors complained bitterly about the government, describing Nigerian leaders as insensitive to the plight of the people.
He said, “These people are complaining about government. I heard them talk calling their boss ‘General’.”
Via: http://www.punchng.com/
