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Gunmen kidnap 11 govt officials
10/09/2007 18:11 - (SA)
Lagos - Gunmen in Nigeria have kidnapped 11 members of the ruling party in a southern oil-producing state to protest not receiving any compensation for helping the party rig the April elections, an official said on Monday.
"The gunmen ... said they are being held because the party refused to settle (up with) them after they helped it to win the (state governorship) election in April," he said, asking not to be identified.
The official said the men, all from the People's Democratic Party (PDP), were seized on Sunday night at Arogbo in Ondo state where they were attending a PDP gathering.
Local newspapers said the gunmen are asking for a total of $3.8m in ransom money.
The state official was not able to confirm whether the gunmen had demanded a ransom, but ruled out the chances of their receiving one.
"Those boys (the gunmen) are not serious. They are criminals and they will not get even one naira from the government," he said.
He also denied that the PDP in the state owe the gunmen "or any thug or militant" any money for helping the party to win the state.
The April elections were characterised by widespread large-scale fraud.
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