Briton freed, 3 Lebanese kidnapped

A Briton abducted last week in Nigeria’s economic capital Lagos has been released in an incident believed to be a ransom kidnapping, police and the British government said Thursday.

But in what looked like an increasing trend of abduction in the city, three Lebanese were also reportedly kidnapped on Tuesday.

Lebanon’s foreign ministry announced the latest kidnap Thursday.

Unlike the British, the ministry identified those kidnapped as Mohammad Haidar, Ali Matar and Karim Matar and said it suspected the abduction was a kidnapping for ransom.

P.M.News gathered Thursday night that the Matar brothers have been released after a ransom of $60,000 was paid the abductors.

Negotiations were said to be on to secure the release of the third Lebanese.

Gunmen snatched the three Lebanese from a home in the upscale Victoria Island area of Lagos.

Britain confirmed the release of its citizen in its travel advice for Nigeria, saying that “a British national was kidnapped on Victoria Island, Lagos on 23 March and subsequently released on 27 March.”

However, a spokesperson for the Lagos Police Command said the Briton, who was abducted in the high-brow Victoria Island, after leaving a night club, was released Tuesday night.

Ngozi Braide, the police spokeswoman could not say if a ransom was paid.

A security report provided to AFP by a source with knowledge of the case said he worked for French company CGG, a geophysics firm that works in the oil industry.

Kidnapping for ransom is very rare in Lagos.