Israeli businessman Ehud Avni was released late Sunday night by militant kidnappers who held the construction project manager hostage in Nigeria for nearly a week after four operatives pulled him out of his car at gunpoint in front of his home in the city of Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State in the country's southern Delta region.
The incident occurred after Avni returned home from an event at the home of Governor Rotimi Amaeci, held in honor of Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Moshe Ram. Avni's driver was removed from the car by the kidnappers; he was subsequently arrested in connection with the incident.
According to Foreign Ministry spokesman Yossi Levi, Avni, a diabetic, was released without his captors having collected any of the ransom they demanded. Media reports said a $12 million price tag had been placed on the 60-year-old Israeli's freedom.
Avni is reported to be in good condition and is expected to arrive back home in Ra'anana on Thursday. His wife Tzipi told Voice of Israel government radio that her husband called after his release and confirmed that he was in good health. She also said she expects her husband, who has spent 30 years working in the West African nation, to return to the country to continue working.
Levi said that much of the credit for the hostage's release went to his employers at Gilmor Engineering Limited, who conducted the negotiations for his freedom privately, directly with his kidnappers. "We were assisting," said Levi. "We gave the framework, and helped with government contacts. But his bosses did the actual negotiating directly with the kidnappers."
One of the reasons Avni was release was directly related to his diabetes, according to Ambassador Ram, who said the kidnappers "were worried about getting into difficulties over his health." The other reason, said the envoy, had to do with the pressure placed on the kidnappers by the Nigerian authorities.
A crisis in the talks developed briefly last week when a militant group that had previously offered to help track down and facilitate negotiations for the hostage balked, after IsraelNationalNews.com referred to their group as "terrorists."
The "Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta" (M.E.N.D.) group, comprised of indigenous gunmen, published their demand for an apology and a retraction by IsraelNationalNews.com in a Reuters article.
After consultation with diplomatic officials, IsraelNationalNews removed the reference to 'terrorist' stating that as long as the change in wording may help free the Israeli, the company is happy to comply.
It is not clear what role, if any, the militant group played in Avni's release.