British oil worker kidnapped in Nigeria

Kidnappers snatched a Scottish oil worker in southern Nigeria, killing a police escort, it emerged today.

A police spokeswoman said the attackers grabbed the worker late last night as his vehicle convoy travelled through the southern city of Port Harcourt.

She said a policeman who was escorting the man died from wounds suffered in the attack. She had no more details.

More than 200 foreign workers and countless Nigerians have been kidnapped in three years of rising violence across the oil region of Africa’s biggest crude producer.

Victims are normally released unharmed after a ransom is paid.