Russia demands return of detained crew

Moscow has asked Nigeria to straighten out the situation with 15 Russian crew members on a ship detained over alleged arms smuggling in mid-October, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday, RIA-Novosti reports.

The Myre Seadiver was detained in the port of Lagos on October 19 after Nigerian authorities discovered it was carrying an assortment of weapons, including 14 Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifles with some 5,000 rounds of ammunition.

Moscow-based security firm Moran that owns the ship has said the arsenal was on board to protect against pirates who prey on the shipping along the Nigerian coast.