Nigerian militants release South Korean hostages

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2006

LAGOS (AFP) — Five South Korean oil workers were released from captivity in Nigeria after being held hostage for more than 24 hours by separatist militants seeking the freedom of a jailed rebel leader.

The militants known as the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said they had released the South Koreans at the request of Mujahid Asari Dokubo, a jailed separatist leader whose freedom the MEND was demanding.

"In fulfillment of our earlier pledge, all five Korean prisoners captured by our unit in the attack on the Daewoo camp were released at 1600 hours today," MEND said in a statement to AFP.

The workers, staff of Korean firms Daewoo and Korea Gas Corp., were snatched from a gas plant in southern Nigeria on Wednesday morning in response to a court decision...