OFW deployment to Nigeria banned; hostages released
Following the recent hostage-taking of 24 Filipino seafarers in Nigeria, the Philippine government has banned the deployment of Filipino overseas workers to Nigeria until further notice.
After being paid ransom, Nigerian militants released the Filipino crewmen on February 13 after almost three weeks of holding them captive. The crewmen are in good health and will be returning to the country later this week. However, the fate of two other Filipinos, one male and one female, taken last week is still unknown, so the government decided to stay the ban.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said that the government didn’t pay any ransom.
Sources:
Palace: No ransom paid for seamen’s release (image ABS-CBN)
Ban on OFW deployment to Nigeria stays
2 Comments
Pity Philipines government feel this way. Personally, I relate with a few filipinos and they are the nicest expats in Nigeria.
Americans, British and other nationalities of rich countries are being taken as hostages in Nigeria and two Americans were even killed 2 years ago but their governments did not impose a travel ban.
I don’t believe that the Militants were after the Filipinos who are nationals of a poor country but were in the wrong place and the wrong time and were subsequently released as they were the wrong target.
Many Filipinos OFWs who are supposed to travel to Ngeria are stranded because of this travel ban. The BIG QUESTION IS: WILL THE GOVERNMENT GIVE THEM FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AS LONG AS THE TRAVEL BAN IS IN PLACE?
Why not lift the Travel Ban and just advise the Filipino OFWs to keep a low profile.
Just what Mr. Adeleke said, Filipinos are the nicest expats in Nigeria.