BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

17/05/2007

Belarus hostage released in Nigeria

MOSCOW. May 17 (Interfax) - A Belarusian woman who was abducted in Nigeria some time ago has been released, Viktor Goncharov of the Russian Embassy in Lagos told Interfax.

"The Belarusian citizen was released last night. It seems ransom was paid. It is unclear so far whether the abductors have been detained," he said.

"Irina Ekpo-Umo's release was accomplished through joint efforts. The Russian Embassy in Nigeria has been permanently in close contact with that country's law enforcement agencies and the management of the company for which she worked," Goncharov said.

Ekpo-Umo feels fine, he said.

"I believe the people who abducted her are not connected to Nigerian political organizations. There are a number of criminal gangs here that regularly kidnap foreign citizens. This was apparently done to demand ransom," Goncharov said. va md

Source:

http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11747412