3 Nigerians wanted by police for kidnapping diplomat

The Ghana Police Service has declared wanted, three Nigerians for allegedly kidnapping the Consular General and Head of Mission of Estonia to Ghana.

The 61-year-old foreign envoy was reportedly kidnapped in the early hours of Thursday, during his regular morning walk in his neighbourhood in Accra.

According to the Public Relations officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, DSP Efia Tenge, the Head of the Estonian Mission to Ghana, Hon. Nabil Makram Basbous was abducted by three gunmen suspected to be Nigerians, who held him hostage in an unknown location until he was rescued by the police.

The police spokesman in a statement, revealed that the police foiled the kidnap, through intelligence report it received from the neighbours of the three Nigerians.

DSP Tenge disclosed that the SWAT Unit of the Accra Regional Police Command picked up intelligence that some Nigerians residing at NTHC Estates, Vivian Farms, in Lashibi, in Accra were engaged in suspicious activities.

The information the police gathered was that the suspects stayed at home all day and only went out at nights.

The police swooped on the house, but the suspects escaped by scaling over a fence.

According to DSP Tenge, “While police were still at the scene, Hon. Nabil Makram Basbous, 61years, a Lebanese, Consular - General and Head of Mission of Estonia to Ghana came out from one of the rooms in the house.”

The envoy had recounted to the police, how he was kidnapped by three armed men.

He was on his usual morning walk in his neighborhood on Thursday morning, 10 minutes into the walk, a white Hyundai Elantra pulled up beside him.

“One of the occupants came out, pulled a pistol on him and ordered him to enter the car or risk being shot if he resisted. He obliged, entered and was driven away with the kidnappers pointing a pistol and an axe at him. He could not see his way till they got to the location and he was detained in the room and held hostage for the payment of ransom,” the police said.

After searching the house, the police found a Retay brand pistol loaded with five rounds of 7.65mun ammunition and two axes. Also the car has been impounded.