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Gunmen kidnap two Australians and a New Zealander in Nigeria Three Australians among group of mine workers kidnapped in Nigeria
(about 5 hours later)
Two Australians and a New Zealander have been kidnapped by gunmen in southern Nigeria who killed their local driver in an early morning attack. Three Australians and one New Zealander are among a group of mine workers kidnapped by gunmen during a deadly attack in Nigeria.
The workers, two of whom police said later escaped, were contractors for cement company Lafarge Africa. The Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, confirmed the men, who are believed to have been working for Perth-based mining company Macmahon Holdings, had been captured near Calabar in Nigeria’s south.
There was confusion over the nationalities of those involved. But Irene Ugbo, a spokeswoman for Cross River state police, said two were Australians and one was a New Zealander. The families of those taken have been notified and the Australian high commissioner is at the scene, he said.
A second police spokesman later said another foreigner abducted was from South Africa. “We don’t know at this stage the identity of the kidnappers,” Turnbull told reporters while campaigning in Geelong.
They were attacked on the outskirts of the city of Calabar at around 5.30am local time on Wednesday, police said. Turnbull said three of the kidnapped men were Australian and the fourth a New Zealand citizen who had Australian residency.
Two expatriates managed to flee, said Ugbo, adding that she did not know the nationality of any of the workers feared still held. The kidnappers had not contacted police, she said. Their local driver was killed during the attack on the group’s vehicle. Another Nigerian and one South African were also reportedly kidnapped.
Lafarge Africa said it had been informed of the incident by Australian contractor Macmahon. Irene Ugbo, a spokeswoman for Cross River state police, earlier said two expatriates managed to flee, adding that she did not know the nationality of any of the workers feared still held. The kidnappers had not contacted police, she said.
“Macmahon is working with the security agencies to resolve this situation,” said Viola Graham-Douglas, a spokeswoman for Lafarge Africa. The kidnapped men were contractors for cement company Lafarge Africa and were attacked around 5.30am local time on Wednesday, police said.
Macmahon could not immediately be reached for comment. Lafarge Africa said it was informed of the incident by Macmahon, which carries out quarrying operations at the UniCems joint venture cement plant in Mfamosing near Calabar.
Nigerian publication Today said a New Zealander was among those kidnapped, along with three Australians, a South African and a Nigerian. Macmahon Holdings has put its shares in a trading halt on the Australian Securities Exchange ahead of an expected announcement about the kidnapping.
According to the report, police were working to ensure the victims are released unharmed. Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, said the government was in close contact with the Nigerian government, which was taking the matter extremely seriously.
Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, said the government was working to confirm details of the reported kidnapping of “four” Australians who have been working for an Australian mining company. She said she had spoken with the heads of Macmahon and Australia’s ambassador in Nigeria. “We have some understanding of what occurred but I won’t go into too many details lest it affect the outcome,” she told reporters.
“The government is in close contact with the Nigerian government, which is taking the matter extremely seriously,” she said. “We are treating this extremely seriously, as I understand is the Nigerian government, and I will continue to remain in contact with our ambassador and at the appropriate levels within the Nigerian government.”