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Sierra-Leone High Commissioner Kidnapped In Kaduna, Abductors Demanded N44m Ransom.

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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.

Report says 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.

It was also 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.

The abduction had also been reported to the police.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah, confirmed to our correspondent on Friday that Nelson was abducted somewhere in Abuja along the road to Kaduna.

He however said he had been unable to reach the FCT Commissioner of Police for a full briefing on the incident.

Awunah said, “I learnt the diplomat was abducted at a location along the Abuja-Kaduna in the FCT, but I don’t have the full details yet. Give me some minutes to reach the FCT Commissioner or the IG, I would get back to you.”

The Director, Public Affairs Communication, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Clement Aduku, said he heard about the incident from a journalist, but said he had no official briefing on the abduction.

He also could not confirm if the ministry had received the Note Verbale from the Sierra Leonean high commission.

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