Fears heightened on Sunday over the health condition of the 24 Filipinos allegedly being held by Ijaw militants in the creeks of Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
Report available to our correspondent on Sunday indicated that seven of the embattled foreign nationals were critically ill.
T hey were said to be hypertensive and diabetic.
It was gathered that their health conditions worsened due to lack of access to medication in Chanomi creeks, where they were being held by the militants, who operated under the aegis of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta.
A reliable source in the security circle told our correspondent that the MEND sent a distress call to the employers of the expatriates through the state government and security agencies on Saturday to urgently dispatch their drugs to the creeks.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that the message had been conveyed to the management of Brawal Nigeria Limited, the agent of Bacoliner Shipping Company, the employers of the Filipinos, in Nigeria .
�We got a distress call on Saturday that seven of the Filipinos, who probably had history of hypertension and diabetics are critically ill. I can tell you that their employer and the government are already aware of the latest development,� added our source, who craved anonymity.
It was gathered that drugs and other items, would be sent to the ailing foreigners on Monday.
Meanwhile, the State Security Service on Saturday began fresh manhunt for the militants in the Niger Delta, especially those fingered as the masterminds of the fate of the Filipinos.
It was learnt that the action of the SSS, especially in the State, was sequel to the recalcitrant posture of the militants, who turned down the pleas of the state government for early release of the expatriates, held since January 20.
The Director of SSS in the state, Mr. Adebayo Babalola, reportedly deployed detectives in Warri on Saturday to arrest the militants at the wedding ceremony of the spokesman of the Federated Niger Delta Ijaw Communities, Mr. Kestin Pondi, in the city.
The wedding was abruptly cancelled as security agents took positions at the church�s premises.
It was gathered that a number of FNDIC�s leaders were reportedly penciled down for arrest while their choice property were to be confiscated.
Although Babalola could not be reached, a source in the SSS in the state, said intelligence report indicted the FNDIC leaders as masterminds of the series of hostage taking in the state.
However, the group in a statement on Sunday condemned the disruption of Pondi�s wedding by the SSS, adding that FNDIC was a responsible organisation, which had contributed immensely to the existing peace in the region.
�Hence all well meaning Nigerians must condemn such harassment and embarrassment from the security agencies. To this end, we are calling on the Federal Government and all relevant agencies to collaborate with the genuine effort of FNDIC, Ijaw elders and other bodies in proffering a lasting solution to the Niger Delta crisis, instead of engaging in steps that will overheat the policy.�
The FNDIC in a statement by its acting President, Mr. Otuaro Dennis, acting Secretary, Mr. Paul Bebenimbo, and Pondi, urged the MEND and other groups involved in the Niger Delta struggle to sheathe their swords and join forces with it to seek redress through dialogue and other civilised methods.
But the Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor, Media Relation, Mr. Sheddy Ozoene, said the government was dialoging with the hostage-takers to ensure early release of the expatriates unhurt.
Ozoene, in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Sunday, said he had no fresh information on the fate of the Filipinos.
It will be recalled that the MEND insisted that it would continue to hold on to the expatriates until the Federal Government accedes to its four-point demand, which include the release of the former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyesiegha, and the leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Alhaji Muharhedeen Asari Dokubo.
The group also requested the immediate payment of the $1.5bn the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt ordered Shell Petroleum Development Company to pay to Bayelsa Aborigines and the probe of the administrations of Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State and Governor James Ibori of Delta State, especially in the utilisation of the 13 per cent derivation funds available to them so far.