4 Turkish nationals kidnapped in Nigeria rescued

Turkish citizens kidnapped in Nigeria’s Kwara state have been rescued, reports said Friday.

The police had earlier confirmed the kidnapping of Seyit Keklik (25), Yasin Çolak (33), Ergun Yurdakul (35), and Şener Apal (40), who are reportedly construction workers.

They were reportedly kidnapped as they returned from a local market where they had gone to buy drinks.

“Four Turkish expatriates were kidnapped at a drinking spot in Gbale village in the Edu local government area of Kwara State,” Okasanmi said earlier Sunday.

The incident was reported around 11:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, he said.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said it had no further information.

Kwara is one of the safest states in Nigeria and Saturday’s kidnapping was deemed a one-off event in the relatively peaceful state.

It is the second time within a week that Turkish nationals have been abducted in Nigeria.

Last week, 10 Turkish sailors were abducted off Nigeria when pirates attacked a Turkish-flagged ship bound to Abidjan city of the Ivory Coast from the Port of Douala in Cameroon.