Two abducted Indians, hailing from AP and Karnataka, released in Nigeria

New Delhi: Two Indians, abducted last month from Benue state of Nigeria, were released on Saturday, the External Affairs Ministry said here.

"Mr Mangapudi Srinivas and Mr Kaushal Anish Sharma, who were kidnapped in the morning of 29 June from an area called Boko, near Makurdi in Benue state of Nigeria, were released today morning at 1030 hrs IST.”

"Both have spoken to their families. Sharma's wife profusely thanked the External Affairs Minister for ensuring safe release. She also thanked the Ministry and the Mission for keeping the family informed of developments almost on daily basis," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

The duo - Srinivas (from Andhra Pradesh) and his colleague Sharma (from Karnataka) - were travelling to Dangote Cement Plc Plant in a car from their residential quarters when a group of armed men had abducted them at a traffic signal.

Swarup had earlier said that "as far as our information goes there is no hand of terror group Boko Haram and it seems local criminal elements were responsible for the act".

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu spoke to the Indian High Commissioner B N Reddy and requested him to ensure safe release of Srinivas, an official release issued in Vijayawada said.

State Information Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy spoke to Srinivas' wife Lalitha over phone and conveyed the news, it added.