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Ghana: Kidnapped Israeli citizen escapes
Foreign Ministry says businessman who was held ransom escapes unharmed, finds refuge with local security forces
The Israeli businessman who was kidnapped by gunmen in Ghana last week managed to flee his captors unharmed, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
According to the ministry, the Israeli found refuge with local security forces, is in good health and has met with his family members in the West African country.
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, the kidnappers at first demanded half a million dollars for the Israeli, in his 60s, but later lowered their demands to $300,000. The man's relatives informed Israel's embassy in Nigeria, which in turn contacted Ghanaian authorities, who hunted for the missing executive.
National Security Coordinator Sam Amoo said this week that a special task force had been set up to secure the Israeli's release.
Africa has proven itself to be dangerous for Israeli businessmen. In late September, 60-year-old Ehud Avni was abducted from a parking lot in the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt.
He was held hostage for almost two weeks before being released, with kidnappers demanding the exorbitant sum of $12 million in ransom.
Reuters contributed to the report
