Five Nigerian kidnappers and extortionists opened the South Africa era last week with a near fatal operation that confounded Nigerian diplomats and citizens. Sources close to BusinessDay say the recent incident was one of the most daring with the potential to further harden the stance of South Africa on visa issuance to Nigerians.
The men were caught in Kessington, Thursday, in an early morning operation in a location were they frequently used for their operation after they lured, tutored and extorted money from some international businessmen. Top South African security spokesperson, Musa Zondi, said the men face charges including kidnapping and extortion, in a statement.
During the operation, police rescued a 58-year-old Brazilian businessman being held captive at the house in Kensington.
A 51-year-old South Korean businessman, the president of a global shipping firm, was held at the same house for five days. He was released on May 19 after his company paid a ransom of US70,000 (about R537,312). Police had been monitoring the house and swooped in the early hours on Thursday to rescue the second businessman, said Zondi.
“The businessman, who believed that his days were numbered after his captors threatened to kill him, was relieved to find the police coming in,” he said.
“He broke down a few hours, later relieved that his ordeal was over.” The Brazilian would undergo medical treatment because he had been “badly burnt on his stomach, chest and feet” with a hot iron.
Zondi said the man, who heads a global timber trade company, on Thursday met with Brazilian police who were in the country for the World Cup.
Welcoming the rescue and arrests, police commissioner General Bheki Cele said he would not allow South Africa to be used as a playing ground for criminals. “We have said this before and we are saying it now. South Africa is not a paradise for criminals. Those who think that they can use this country as a base for their misdeeds are mistaken,” he said.
“Every day we are squeezing the space for the criminals and we will continue to do so.” Kidnapping for ransom has become a significant corporate concern in Nigeria with the attendant tag as a high-risk destination. Globally, it has spurred a specialized insurance sector worth an estimated $100 million annually.