By IANS
New Delhi : The government Tuesday said its high commission in Lagos was in touch with the Nigerian authorities for an early release of 12 Indians who were kidnapped in the African country over the past fortnight.
"All abducted Indians are safe. We hope that there will be an early release," external affairs ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna told reporters here.
"The Indian high commission in Nigeria has taken up the matter with Nigeria's foreign minister, national security adviser and police," Sarna said.
"Family members of the Indian staff of the company (which employed kidnapped Indians) have been evacuated over the weekend. The high commission has been informed by the company that they spoke to the abducted Indians and they are OK," he said.
India issued a security advisory on May 30 to all Indians working in Nigeria to take adequate precautions about their security.
Ten Indians were kidnapped June 1 from the oil city of Port Harcourt where they were working for an Indonesia-based company Indorama. Two Indians, working for the same company in Port Harcourt, were kidnapped on May 19.
Indorama has already sent a director-level officer to negotiate the release of hostages.