Five Indian sailors kidnapped off Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta have been freed by the pirates. They were held captive by the pirates for more than a month. This was disclosed in the capital Abuja by a spokesman of the shipping line Medallion Marine. The spokesman Martin Baxendale said in statement that the released Indian Sailors are hale and hearty. He,however, did not disclose if any ransom was paid for their freedom.

The Indians sailors were abducted by heavily armed pirates who attacked the vessel about 60 kilometres off the coast of oil rich Niger Delta and commercial capital, Lagos.

Earlier, as many as 23 Indian sailors and one Bangladeshi crew member were kidnapped when pirates hijacked an oil tanker with a Singapore-based company in September. They were later released when Nigerian navy sent two ships, with naval men on board after the captors.