Sierra Leone Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria
Rtd. Major General Nelson Williams has been
kidnapped in Nigeria.
According to Embassy sources in Nigeria, He was
kidnapped sometimes yesterday.
"He left the Sierra Leone mission in Abuja and went
to attend a military graduation ceremony in Kaduna.
At 4am this morning, the embassy accountant
received a strange phone call. It was the
kidnappers. They placed Nelson-Williams on the
line and after he identified himself to the
accountant, the Kidnappers came back on the line
and informed he was in their custody and they had
kidnapped him and wanted a ransom demand of
around 44 million Naira (about $150,000).", the
Embassy sources said.
The kidnappers have now called the Embassy twice
this morning threatening unsavory outcome if their
ransom demand is not met.
According to sources, one of the calls had Nelson
Williams sounding very low and frightened. The
whereabouts of his driver (and those he was
supposed to be with on the said trip), is presently
unknown.
The exact details of how the kidnap happened is
currently unknown. The Nigerian Police, Intelligence
Service and Foreign Office in Nigeria are now
working with the Sierra Leone Embassy in Abuja to
investigate the matter. The Nigerian military has
also been informed. Nelson Williams was a former
Head of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces.
