Pinoy seaman kidnapped in Cameroon

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino seaman was kidnapped by Nigerian bandits in Cameroon on Sept. 12, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

According to the manning agency, the armed Nigerian bandits also abducted a Croatian seafarer. The two seamen were working for a vessel of Jan de Nuls, a Belgian dredging operation in the port city of Douala. Cameroon and Nigeria share the same border.

The rest of the crew were able to escape as another Filipino crewmember was able to call the agency to report the incident.

The manning agency has informed the family of the kidnapped Filipino seaman about the incident.

The DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) has instructed the Philippine embassy in Abuja to make representations with Nigerian authorities for the safe release of the Filipino crewmember.

It has also asked the Philippine Embassy in Brussels to coordinate with the ship’s principal in Belgium to ensure that negotiations for the release of the seafarer is being undertaken.

The last incident of kidnapping in the area was in July 2009 involving two Filipino seamen aboard M/V Sichem Peace. Both were released after 18 days.