BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

07/05/2007

Nigeria abductors demand $1.2 mln for release of Belarus woman

MOSCOW, May 7 (RIA Novosti) - Abductors of a Belarusian woman in Nigeria have demanded $1.2 million for her release, a Russian embassy official in the oil-rich African state said Monday.

The woman, who is married to a Nigerian and is a senior manager with the local branch of the British services company Compass Group, was kidnapped Saturday night while returning from work in the country's main oil city of Port Harcourt. Gunmen stopped her car and took the woman away.

"The kidnappers demanded $1.2 million as a ransom for the release of the Belarusian national. No other demands have been put forward so far," said Viktor Goncharov, a counselor at the Russian embassy, which is handling the case at the request of Belarus, which has no diplomatic mission in the country.

"Irina Ekpo-Umo is alive and in satisfactory condition at the moment," Goncharov said, referring to Compass Group.

He said Russian embassy officials were in contact with Nigeria's Foreign Ministry, police, and Compass Group executives and were ready to take action any moment.

Militants fighting against the Nigerian government for greater autonomy in the oil-rich Niger Delta have intensified their attacks lately on oil industry facilities that are largely run by western companies.

The latest kidnapping has brought the total number of foreign workers abducted in Nigeria to 28 in a week. Eight hostages have already been released.

Source:

http://en.rian.ru/world/20070507/65038899.html