Lagos, June 11 (AFP): Around 120 Indians working for Eleme Petrochemicals Company in southern Nigeria have left the region or the country following two kidnappings, a company spokesperson said today.

“The majority of expatriate Indians — mostly engineers and technicians — have relocated, mostly as a result of the attacks. The majority have gone back to India,” Jossy Nkwocha said.

The spokesperson said production had been affected at the plant — on the outskirts of Port Harcourt, the capital of the oil-rich Rivers State — after it was attacked twice in quick succession.

On May 19, two Indians were abducted from the company’s premises. The incident left one civilian dead and another injured. On June 1, 10 people — among them were three senior managers, two women and two children — were kidnapped from Eleme’s residential compound.

Police sources had said seven persons were kidnapped.

Many Indians began to leave immediately after the second incident. The rest trickled out last week after the Indian foreign ministry warned its nationals against travelling to the interiors of Nigeria, Nkwocha said.

He said most had gone to India, given the high cost of living in Lagos or Abuja.

Nkwocha said the company did not have any news of those who were abducted. “The government has told us it’s making efforts. Apart from that, we haven’t heard much.”

He denied media reports that the plant has closed down completely. But he admitted: “The exodus of expats has affected our production and it is partially shut down.”

According to an AP report, militants announced they were releasing four Britons, three Americans and other foreign hostages, including an Indian.