Gunmen Kidnap 10 Turkish Sailors Off Nigerian Waters

Gunmen have attacked a Turkish ship off the coast of Nigeria, kidnapping 10 sailors.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry disclosed this on Tuesday, adding that Initiatives are being taken to free the 10 Turks.

The sailors were reportedly kidnapped on Saturday evening.

A statement by the foreign ministry said: “The ship which the pirates left has been taken to Tema Harbor (Ghana), and the necessary initiatives are taken with Nigerian and Ghanaian authorities for the release of our abducted citizens.

“As a result of the attack, some of the crew members, who are Turkish nationals, have been abducted by the pirates.”

According to reports, a Turkish-flagged ship, Paksoy-1, going to Abidjan, Ivory Coast from the Port of Douala in Cameroon was attacked by pirates on Saturday evening.

The ship, operated by Kadioglu Maritime, had 18 crew on board at the time it was attacked by pirates suspected to be militants in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria.

The Turkish government said it was working with necessary authorities and security agencies to secure the released of the kidnapped.

Turkey’s Ambassador to Ghana, Ozlem Ulueren, told Turkish news angency, Anadolu, that the vessel had reached Ghana’s Tema Harbour with eight crew members on Monday.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for Turkey's ruling AK Party, Omer Celik, said the country's foreign ministry and intelligence services were "intensely working" on the issue.

According to NTV, the gunmen on speed boats attacked the cargo and abducted the sailors. 

The kidnappers have yet to demand a ransom.

However, NTV reported that the other crew members of the ship were rescued and taken to Guinea. 

Efforts are ongoing to locate and free the captives.

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