Strong indications emerged on Thursday that the Peoples Democratic Partys chieftains that were abducted by some militants in Ondo State might soon be released.
A police source told our correspondent on the telephone that efforts had been intensified to secure the release of the remaining eight PDP leaders still being held captive.
Another source ruled out the use of force to free the remaining eight persons.
The source added that security agents had been contacted to secure the release of the PDP leaders abducted in Arogbo, Ese-Odo Local Government Area of the state on Saturday night.
But he added that the security agents would not want to risk the lives of the people held by the militants.
The militants had earlier warned against the use of force and they had also vowed to react with violence if provoked.
But the spokesman of the militants, who declined to reveal his identity, told our correspondent that the group would not release any of the victims on Thursday.
Three of the kidnapped PDP leaders had since been released but the militants had vowed not to release the remaining eight until they were settled.
Meanwhile, the Niger Delta Peace Network has condemned the action of the militants.
It also blamed the Federal Government for the abduction.
The group said that the government put wrong persons in places to solve the Niger Delta problems.�
In a statement by its National Coordinator, Mr. Godwin Ebiowei, and made available to journalists in Akure, NDPN called on security agents to carry out proper investigations into the kidnaps.
Ebiowei said the N500m demanded by the militants was aimed to blackmail the PDP-led government in the state.