Five expatriates and two Nigerians kidnapped by gunmen in Calabar last Thursday were on Sunday released by their captors with various degrees of injuries.

The seven persons were workers of Macmahon Construction Company, a contracting firm working with a cement manufacturing company in Calabar.

It was gathered that an undisclosed amount of money was paid as ransom by the company to secure the release of the workers made up of five foreigners and two Nigerians who were kidnapped on their way to work on Thursday, June 23 and their driver killed in the process.

A source who disclosed the release of the kidnapped men said “All the seven of them were released in the early hours of today (Sunday) with injuries. Nobody knows why they were injured but they are receiving medical attention.”

Reports say other foreigners working with the cement company had stopped going to work for fear of being abducted.

An anonymous Nigerian worker in the company disclosed that top management workers who are Nigerians are now scared of going to work.

However, Jude Ngaji, Cross River State Security Adviser said no ransom was paid for their release and it was not true that all of the abducted victims sustained injuries.

“I can confirm that they have been released. I was with them a short while ago. It is only the two Nigerians that had injuries while one or two others have scars. They have all been treated and have also had contacts with their families. Their spirits were high,” he said.