BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

07/05/2007

Kidnappers present claims for release of Belarusian citizen abducted in Nigeria

Kidnappers of Belarusian citizen Irina Ekpo-Umo abducted in Nigeria have claimed $1.2 mln ransom for her release, counselor of the Russian embassy in Nigeria Viktor Goncharov said citing reports received by him from Compass Group service company (UK), for which the woman worked. The kidnappers got in touch with management of the company today's morning and informed that the woman was safe and sound. According to the official, it is impossible yet to determine who abducted the woman.

Belarus has no embassy in Nigeria, so Minsk addressed the Russian foreign ministry asking to render assistance in search for the Belarusian woman. Irina Ekpo-Umo, married to a Nigerian man and employed at a branch of the British food supply company was kidnapped from an oil field facility on May 5. It is known that her eldest daughter Rosalina is a student of Belarusian State Medical University in Minsk.

The kidnappers established a contact with Nigerian authorities and informed about additional of her release, RSN reports. There has been no further information on their conditions.

Source:

http://www.regnum.ru/english/824002.html