MOSCOW, Feb. 27 - RAPSI. The 15 Russian sailors from the merchant vessel Myre Seadiver of Russia's Moran Security Group are still in jail despite the court ruling, Ambassador to Nigeria Alexander Polyakov told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.

On Monday the Lagos High Court granted the Russian Embassy's request to release the MV Myre Seadiver crew, charged with illegal entry and arms trafficking, under the embassy's guarantees.

The sailors were to be housed in the Russian embassy in Lagos until the end of the trial. The next hearing was set for April 8.

"Although the court ruled to release the sailors under the embassy's guarantee, its decision has not been fulfilled due to new bureaucratic obstacles. The sailors remain in their prison cells," Polyakov said.

He added that Nigeria said it would only release the vessel for $500,000.

"Nigeria has requested $500,000 as bail for the release of the Myre Seadiver. The vessel has been confiscated, and its owner has no access to it," the ambassador said.

The MV Myre Seadiver was arrested on October 19, 2012 off the coast of Lagos by a naval patrol, which also detained its 15 crew. According to the Nigerian media, weapons were found on the vessel, including 14 AK-47 rifles with 3,643 rounds of ammunition and 22 Benelli MR1 rifles with 4,955 rounds of ammunition.