The hijacked merchant vessel off the coast of Nigeria on Friday, January 29, by pro-Biafra militants has been released although members of the crew are still being held hostage.

The pro-Biafran Militants had threatened to blow up the hijacked ship in 31 days with its foreign crew on board if Nnamdi Kanu is not released.

According to Washington Post, Dirk Steffen, maritime security director of Denmark-based risk intelligence told Association Press that the ship sailed to Cotonou after the hijackers disembarked and took with them the captain, chief engineer, third engineer, the electrician and a fitter.

However, Commodore Kabir Aliyu, Nigerian navy director of information, told Daily Trust that the ship and crew had been freed. Via a text message, he said “the name of the ship is MT LEON DIAS (9279927). An oil tanker [sic], the ship is presently in Benin waters . . . off Cotonou Port and she is under the watch of the Benin Republic navy.”

Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar, defence spokesperson also confirmed that the vessel was being guarded by Benin Republic navy.