An oil worker from Northern Ireland and one from Britain have been released after they were kidnapped yesterday in Nigeria 's southern Niger Delta, an army commander said today.
Brig-Gen Elias Zamani, head of the military task force in the restive wetlands region, said the pair were freed without a fight.
Two of the kidnappers had been arrested during an exchange of fire yesterday night and had indicated where the hostages were being taken.
One of the hostages had been reported to be Irish, but on being freed he said he was from Northern Ireland and had told the kidnappers he was Irish because he was aware of a militant threat issued against Britons earlier this month.
The two men, employees of Canadian oil company Pan-Ocean were snatched at 9.15pm in a bar opposite the company's office in Warri, the largest city in Delta state.
Kidnapping for ransom is a common occurrence in the oil-producing Niger Delta, where violence kills hundreds of people every year.