Nigeria vows to clamp down on kidnappings

The Nigerian police have paraded 10 suspected kidnappers in Rivers State and vowed to clamp down on abductions, but there is so far no fresh news of Maltese oil worker George Scerri, kidnapped more than a week ago.

The 10, paraded at a conference convened by Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi at Government House in Port Harcourt, were among 30 arrested in connection with various kidnappings.

Police Commissioner Bala Hassan said the suspects were arrested for taking part in abduction cases and demanding ransom from their victims' families.

He said that state security agencies were committed to reducing kidnappings.

Governor Amaechi said the arrest of the suspected kidnappers showed that the state government and the security agencies were doing a lot to check the situation, adding that the sympathy of the international community had been lost.

He restated his administration's position not to pay ransom in any kidnap case, or to discuss with militants. He urged whoever was involved to appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Committee to testify and avoid arrest.