11/08/08 (B460) Pas de vacances pour les Pirates. Ce matin, un cargo nigérian aurait été arraisonné par des militants somaliens qui réclament 1 Million de rançon. Somali Militants Seize Nigerian Ship (En Anglais – Info lecteur)

Somali militants have highjacked a Nigerian merchant ship, holding its captain, Graham Egbegi, and its crew hostage.

The militants are demanding a ransom of $1 million (about N117 million) for their release.

Trigo Egbegi, the captain’s elder brother, disclosed this in a text message to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos.

Egbegi, a journalist and Secretary of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), said that the captain was allowed to contact his family after five days in captivity.

He said the ship, Yenagoa Ocean, belonging to ESL Integrated Services, had berthed in Mogadishu to seek medical attention for some crew members who were sick.

Egbegi said the ship was on its way from Dubai through the Pacific when it was highjacked.

He said the captain had earlier obtained a clearance to head for Mogadishu for the treatment, adding after the ship’s berthing, the militants stormed the ship and seized it.

He said although the captain and his crew were well, the militants, who had reportedly contacted the ship’s owners, had been threatening to kill them unless the ransom was paid.