Two German Archaeologists Kidnapped In Nigeria Have Been Freed

The researchers were in the region investigating relics of an early Iron Age population known as the Nok.

Police said that no ransom was paid and the two Germans were freed after being kidnapped in Kaduna state. They were seized near a road between Abuja and Kaduna.

Soldiers stand guard at the residence of the freed German archeologists, Professor Peter Breunig and Johannes Behringer

Duetche Welle report continues:

The two Germans had been abducted on Wednesday during excavation work at Jenjela village in Kaduna state. Two villagers who attempted to help the Germans were shot and killed by the kidnappers.

No ransom was paid when they were freed late on Saturday, a police official said, without giving details. The gunmen had demanded a ransom of ₦60 million (about US$200,000 or €190,000).

"The two archaeologists from the Goethe University in Frankfurt are free. They are in the care of the German embassy in Abuja," said an unnamed source at the Foreign Ministry. "They are doing well under the circumstances," the source added, without providing further details.

The governor of Kaduna, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, applauded Nigeria's security forces on Sunday for securing the hostages' release. There were no details as to whether anyone had been arrested.

The men were kidnapped along a road running from Abuja to Kaduna, which will soon serve as a temporary entry point for visitors to the capital, Abuja. The main airport in Abuja will be closed for repairs for six weeks beginning in early March.

During that time, those travelling to the capital via air will have to land in Kaduna and then make the 100 mile (160 km) journey to Abuja by bus.

Kidnappings for ransom are not uncommon in Nigeria, and several have occurred along this stretch of road in recent years. One victim, last summer, was Sierra Leone's deputy high commissioner.

Most international airlines have said they will not fly into Kaduna, and some embassies in the capital are trying to limit staff travel while the airport is being repaired.

Police Officer: Not Clear If Ransom Was Paid For Germans

Associated Press reports that Nigerian police say it is not clear if a ransom was paid for the release of two German archaeologists freed by their kidnappers over the weekend.

Professor Peter Breunig and Johannes Behringer of Frankfurt's Goethe University were seized at gunpoint Wednesday from Jenjela village in Kaduna state, less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Abuja, Nigeria's capital. Two villagers who tried to help them were killed by the kidnappers.

The kidnappers released the Germans on Saturday night, said a police statement.

The kidnappers made direct contact with the German Embassy, a senior police officer involved in the search told The Associated Press on Tuesday. A worker at Jenjela said the gunmen had demanded a ransom of ₦60 million (about US$200,000 or €190,000). Both men spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to reporters.

The German Embassy in Abuja said only the Foreign Ministry in Berlin can comment. The ministry said Monday the two academics were at the German Embassy and doing well considering the circumstances.

It was unclear if the kidnappers were paid or if they were frightened off by a massive hunt launched by police Special Forces, an elite anti-kidnapping unit and security agents aided by a low-flying helicopter.

The officer said security operatives had created a cordon to block off a thick forest where kidnappers often take hostages. He said the search for the kidnappers continued on Tuesday.

On Monday, Kaduna state Gov. Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai had "commended the security agencies for their efforts in securing the release of the Germans." But he gave no details.

Kidnappings for ransom are common in Nigeria, with ordinary residents and even schoolchildren targeted as well as foreigners. Victims usually are freed unharmed after a ransom is paid, though security forces have rescued a few high-profile abductees.

Sierra Leone's deputy high commissioner was kidnapped at gunpoint on the highway from Abuja to Kaduna in June and held for five days before he was released. Sierra Leone denied any ransom was paid.

Breunig, 65 and Behringer, in his 20s, are part of a four-man team from Goethe University investigating the culture of the Nok people in collaboration with Nigeria's National Commission for Museum and Monuments. The early Iron Age people, considered the earliest ancient civilization of the West African region that is now Nigeria, are famous for their terracotta sculptures.