kidnappers demand N44m ransom for Sierra Leonian envoy

The Sierra Leonean Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Maj.-Gen. Alfred Nelson (retd.)  has been kidnapped along Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in the Federal Capital Territory.

Nelson was abducted with his driver on Thursday on his way to Kaduna to attend a function at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College in the state.

Efforts to reach the envoy on his GSM phone since Thursday by the Sierra Leonian embassy officials have proved abortive.

Unconfirmed reports said the kidnappers had demanded N44m ransom before they would release the envoy and his driver.

Sierra Leonean embassy officials could not be reached for comment as they did not respond to calls and SMS. Several calls to the Head of Chancery, Joe Nyuma, were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.

Our correspondent learnt that a Note Verbale (official diplomatic correspondence) had been sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to inform the Federal Government about the incident.