The US State Department has confirmed that two of its citizens kidnapped of the coast of Gulf of Guinea in Nigeria have been freed by the kidnappers.

The ship called the C-Retriever was attacked in the early hours of Oct. 23 by unknown gunmen who then separated the crew by nationality and made away with the Americans only.

Their names were not given, they were only identified as the ship’s Captain and its Chief Engineer and they were reportedly already en route back home.

Local reporters quoted an anonymous US official as saying that the men were freed after negotiations successfully yielded a ransom payment with the kidnappers.

But State Department spokesperson, Jen Psaki confirmed the sailors’ release and said the department welcomes the news. She however failed to comment whether a ransom had been paid or not.

“We welcome the release of the two U.S. citizens who were kidnapped from the Retriever, for privacy reasons, we will not provide any additional information on the two individuals or the circumstances of their release. But I can confirm their release’’, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters.

ABC News previously reported that the U.S. company for whom the sailors worked, the maritime transportation company Edison Chouest Offshore, was negotiating for the sailors’ release.

But the US government policy generally bars it from paying ransom for its citizens but the policy is said not to include private companies according to ABC News.

According to the International Maritime Bureau (IBM) pirate attacks off Nigeria’s coast have jumped by a third this year meaning, cases in Nigeria are on the rise.

The IBM says the crimes are being perpetrated by criminal gangs who are looking for cargo ships with commodities, and seeking ransom for hostages.

Unlike the dangerous waters off Somalia and the Horn of Africa on the east coast of Africa, through which ships now speed with armed guards on board, many vessels have to anchor to do business off West African countries with little protection and pirates take advantage to perpetrate their activities.

Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News

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