Video - Russia wants Nigeria to release arrested sailors

The Russian government Wednesday called for the immediate release of the 15 sailors arrested by the Nigerian Navy for allegedly smuggling arms into the country.

Nigerian authorities intercepted a ship and arrested its Russian crew on October 23 last year after they found 14 AK-47 riffles guns and 8,500 rounds of ammunition on board.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said the sailors were facing a court case initiated "under false pretexts" and that Nigeria broke a promise given to Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, that the men would return to Russia before the New Year.

"We expect that this time around, the Nigerian partners will stick to their word and release the Russian sailors in the nearest time without additional conditions and further delays," Reuters quoted the ministry as saying in a statement Wednesday.

The sailors, who had been kept in navy custody since their arrest in October, were handed over to the police last Monday.

"On Monday, we handed over the crew to the police as we have completed preliminary investigations," spokesman for the Western Naval Command, Lieutenant Commander Jerry Omodara said on telephone, adding that "The ship and the weapons are still in our custody."

The Moran Security Group, the Russian company that owns the confiscated vessel, called the accusations "groundless" and urged Nigeria to release the sailors.

This Day

Five dead in Lagos oil barge explosion

At least five people were feared dead and many injured in the late hours of the morning Wednesday, as an oil barge offloading products at the MRS Jetty located at the Tin Can Island Port, Apapa Lagos exploded into flames.

The high degree explosion, which happened at about 11.30 am shattered glass doors and windows of buildings as far as 500 metres away from the jetty, including the administrative building of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ports and Cargo complex and a branch of First Bank situated over 500 metres away from the scene.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred after a barge, a small ship bringing in fuel from the mother ship and offloading into the MRS tank farm was improperly handled. The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) confirmed the barge was bearing petroleum motor spirit (PMS) commonly known as fuel.

When LEADERSHIP visited the MRS complex at 12.30pm, business activities at the port have come to a halt, with people settling in small groups and discussing the incident, which was said to have caused stampede at the port.

Officials of MRS were not available for comment and the place was filled with security operatives who barred newsmen from entering the facility. Our correspondent however sighted officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), fire-fighting vehicles belonging to neighbouring Integrated Oil Services and the Lagos State Fire Service, which came in at 1.26pm.

An eyewitness said he saw at least five lifeless bodies wrapped in white cloths and taken away to an unknown morgue before he was asked to leave the premises.

Willem Auret, who witnessed the blast from a ship on its way to Snake Island in Apapa, said he saw a tanker barge catch fire at about 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT). "The fire started slowly and then expanded into chaos, exploding more than once," he told the BBC.

"After the initial explosion, which I caught on camera, there was a secondary explosion," he said.

It took about an hour and a half for the port authorities to arrive on the scene, he said.

"First one tugboat arrived... then several others joined it in an attempt to extinguish the fire. They seem to have the fire under control now."

Nema's Akande Iyiola told the BBC that the oil depot at Tin Can Island port where the explosion occurred was owned by the petroleum company MRS Oil.

"I felt the explosion from where we are," Charles Osagie, who works at an import-and-export office in the district, told AFP.

Leadership

Stephen Keshi picks his Super Eagles squad for Nations Cup

Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, Wednesday night released the list of Nigeria's team to the 2013 African Nations Cup. The list was released even as the friendly match between the Eagles and Cape Verde was still on.

FINAL LIST OF 23 PLAYERS FOR SOUTH AFRICA 2013

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be'er Sheba, Israel); Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria)

Defenders: Elderson Echiejile (SC Braga, Portugal); Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod FC, Israel); Joseph Yobo (Fenerbahce, Turkey); Efe Ambrose

(Celtic FC, Scotland); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves, Nigeria); Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag, Netherlands); Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria)

Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England); Nosa Igiebor (Real Betis, Spain); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Obiora Nwankwo (Calcio Padova, Italy); Fegor Ogude (Valerenga FC, Norway); Reuben Gabriel (Kano Pillars, Nigeria);

Forwards: Ahmed Musa ( CSKA Moscow, Russia); Emmanuel Emenike (Spartak Moscow, Russia); Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria); Ikechukwu Uche (Villarreal FC, Spain); Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine); Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria).

Vanguard

Related stories: Mikel Obi recalled to Super Eagles squad

Super Eagles crush Liberia 6-1

Italian sailors kidnapped in Niger Delta

Pirates have freed three Italian sailors they abducted from a ship off Nigeria last month, the foreign ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

“Our three sailors are free and will soon return to Italy,” Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi said in a statement, while the ministry said the Italians would be flown back into the country later Wednesday.

The armed pirates abducted the sailors after attacking the MV Asso Ventuno some 40 nautical miles off Nigeria’s Bayelsa state on December 23.

“We’re well, they treated us well,” sailor Emiliano Astarita told his father Franco by telephone on his release, ANSA news agency said.

The ministry gave no details of a fourth sailor, thought to be Ukrainian, who was abducted with them according to Italian media reports.

Terzi thanked the Nigeria authorities who he said had collaborated closely with the Italian foreign office to free the sailors.

Such kidnappings occur regularly off Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta region, with hostages typically released after payment of a ransom.

The ministry would not comment on whether a ransom was paid.

Vanguard

Related stories: Four Chinese expatriates kidnapped in Nigeria

Gunmen kill 2, kidnap french expatriate


Minister of Finance, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala's mother kidnapped

Video - Obasanjo talks to CNN about Boko Haram

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo talks to CNN about security in Nigeria and the threat posed by Boko Haram.