(Reuters) - Six foreign sailors were freed unharmed overnight by pirates who seized them off the coast of Nigeria's oil-producing region nine days ago, police said on Tuesday.
A rise in piracy off Nigeria's oil-rich coast this month has shown gangs are willing to venture further afield and use more violent tactics, increasing the risk of doing business in Africa's largest energy producer.
One Russian, three Ukrainian and two Indian sailors were taken when gunmen stormed the Armada Tuah 40 miles off the coast of Bayelsa state on February 17.