Andhra Pradesh engineer, who was kidnapped in Nigeria, to return on July 20

Visakhapatnam: The long wait of family members of civil engineer Mangipudi Sai Srinivas, who along with his colleague Kaushal Anish Sharma was kidnapped in Nigeria on June 29, has ended. Both were released on Saturday.

Srinivas is expected to land at his home town Vizag on July 20 to reunite with his family members. The Centre announced that Srinivas and Sharma were freed at around 10.30 am on Saturday after 18 days of suspense. His family thanked the ministry of external affairs and AP ministers for their continuous efforts to secure his release.

Srinivas, 44, a Vizag-based civil engineer, was working with Dangote Cement Plc Plant in Gboko located in the Benue State of north-central Nigeria. Mr Srinivas and Mr Sharma were kidnapped by an armed gang when they were proceeding to the cement plant on June 29.

Mr Srinivas’ wife M. Srilalitha said she and her son Sampath had spoke to Mr Srinivas over Skype, He was looking weak, she told this newspaper.