Madrid, Apr 12 (IANS/EFE): The kidnapping in Nigeria of a Spanish physician has "all the characteristics" of being an economic crime rather than a political one, Spain's foreign minister said Wednesday.
Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said that the kidnapping of Jose Manuel Machimbarrena had occurred in southern Nigeria and not in the strife-torn north, and thus "there are no political implications of any kind".
After noting that there have been several kidnappings for ransom in that part of Nigeria, he said that the government is acting "with the discretion that it has to (use) in all these cases".
Machimbarrena, the 58-year-old director of the clinical services of the Niger Foundation Hospital, was kidnapped in the town of Enugu, where he has lived since 1978, sources close to the doctor told EFE.
The kidnapping occurred April 4 when Machimbarrena arrived home in Enugu from the hospital.