At about 5:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. GMT) Sunday, a group of unidentified persons broke into the homes of Russian personnel in the southeastern Nigerian town of Ikot Abasi and abducted six citizens of Russia and killed their Nigerian driver. The Russian staff worked at the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON).
Boris Malakhov, deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's information and press department, said the headquarters was in constant contact with the Nigerian law-enforcement bodies at the federal and local levels to resolve the hostage crisis and release the Russian citizens.
Malakhov said the foreign ministry had informed Russia's leadership about the abduction of Russian citizens.
According to preliminary information, the Russian citizens could have been kidnapped for the purpose of ransom but more detailed information is unavailable as the abductors have not yet advanced any demands.
According to the embassy's information, ALSCON is controlled by the Russian aluminum giant RUSAL. The Nigerian smelter employs several dozen Russian citizens.
