The month-long nightmare for Maltese oil-worker George Scerri, who was kidnapped on 23 May, ended early yesterday morning after he was released by a criminal gang who "only wanted the money and had no political intentions".
In a press conference addressed by Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg and the permanent secretary in the Foreign Affairs Ministry Cecilia Attard Pirotta, Dr Borg said that he had just spoken to Mr Scerri who said he was in a good state of health and that he had been treated well.
The minister said the Maltese government did not pay any ransom but could not state whether anyone else had done so.
Mr Scerri was released in Bayelsa, a process that started at 12am and ended at 3pm. Dr Borg, who said Mr Scerri was in good spirits, was full of praise at all the work carried out by the Maltese delegation but expressed his regret that his release did not take place three days ago on Mr Scerri's birthday. Mr Scerri turned 62.
As soon as he was released, Mr Scerri was debriefed by the Nigerian State Security Services. Mrs Attard Pirotta, along with a member of the Maltese armed forces, was present.
Until he was released, Mr Scerri was not aware that there was a Maltese delegation in Nigeria or that the Maltese government had started negotiations for his release. Dr Borg said that the Maltese government were advised not to make any direct contact with Mr Scerri. “The reason behind this was not to cause any extra trouble in case Mr Scerri starts speaking in Maltese, a language the abductors don't understand, and think that he is passing on information," he said. Dr Borg said the kidnappers did not have any political intentions but simply wanted the ransom money.
The Maltese government and delegation were in constant contact with the Mr Scerri's employers LoneStar and his family in Nigeria. However, they did not make any contact with the kidnappers.
Even though there was a similar situation in the 1990s when a Jesuit missionary was abducted in Ethopia, Dr Borg said that it was a new situation for the government.
He had high praise for the Italian and UK diplomatic community who helped the Maltese government in the negotiations and contacts with the government, especially since Malta does not have any diplomatic representative in Nigeria.
Although Mr Scerri's kidnapping was not the first to take place in Nigeria, Dr Borg said it was important for the Maltese government to put pressure for Mr Scerri's release.
The minister said that Mr Scerri was highly esteemed and respected by his employers, who were in constant contact with the abductors.
Dr Borg said that Mr Scerri, and his Pakistani colleague who was also abducted, were kept captive in the jungle and also in a room.
Mrs Attard Pirotta said the Maltese government started working on Mr Scerri's case a few hours after the kidnapping took place. Mr Scerri's families in Nigeria and Malta were contacted and the Maltese government remained in close contact all throughout.
In a statement, Labour MP Leo Brincat expressed the Labour Party's satisfaction at the release of Mr Scerri and praised the work the high-level delegation from the Foreign Affairs Ministry that carried out the negotiations. The Nationalist Party's “Solidarjeta Haddiema” also expressed its satisfaction following Mr Scerri's release.