News: 9 Nigerians kidnapped in Ukraine regain their freedom after 10 days

Nine Nigerians abducted by pro-Russian separatists seeking greater autonomy from Ukraine have regained their freedom, ending an ordeal that lasted 10 days.

Speaking in an interview with The Scoop early Saturday, Femi Oredugba, a native of Shagamu now studying in Ukraine, said the rebels stormed his apartment in the eastern Ukrainian city of Luganskand where they kidnapped him and his friends.

“They just broke the door to gain entrance into the building,” he said. “Then they climbed to the 8th floor and forced themselves into the apartment I occupy with my classmates.”
He noted that the armed intruders did not hurt any of them but said they carted away their belongings, including laptops and other valuable items.
“When they entered, the first thing they did was pack our laptops and documents. They also seized our passports but released those after we were released.”
He denied any knowledge about the involvement of either the Ukrainian or Nigerian governments in securing their release.
He said the rebels released them under sustained pressure from some fighters who have come from Chechnya to assist the Ukrainian rebels, after perusing their passports to see if any of them has been to the United States in the past.
“They took us to the Russian border and kept us there for ten days. For those ten days we were there, the Chechnya fighters put daily pressure on them to release us or they will desert. They said it’s because they don’t think Nigerians have anything to do with the civil war. Finally they agreed to let us leave,” he said.

They narrated how the rebels sifted through their passports to be sure none of them has any tie to the United States less he be taken for an American agent.
“They brought out our passports and called us one after the other to ask us series of questions about the United States and we answered what we knew. They looked everything back to back.
“They released us on Friday evening (July 25) after ten days, but they’re still holding on to our laptops, phones and many valuable documents.”
When asked if they’ve heard from Nigerian mission in Ukraine, he said, “No, nobody has called us. Maybe it’s because they have no way of reaching us but when we see them — Nigerian diplomats — we’ll hear what they have to say.”
Mr. Oredugba disclosed that they’re aboard a train to the capital, Kyiv, where they’ll begin preparations for an appearance at the Nigerian embassy there tomorrow, Monday July 28, 2014.