Gunmen have kidnapped two Chinese citizens and killed their police guard in southern Nigeria, police said on Friday, the latest such incident targeting workers from the country.

The abduction took place Wednesday at the town of Utesi in the southern Edo state, a senior police officer told AFP.

"The Chinese were seized by unknown gunmen who had laid an ambush for them outside the premises of their company," the officer said.

"The police orderly attached to the Chinese was killed in the operation."

He said police have launched a man-hunt for the attackers with a view to rescuing the hostages, who were employed at a glass and aluminium firm.

Chinese companies are working in Nigeria on multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects that include railways, airports and roads.

Their workers have been repeatedly targeted by kidnap gangs.

Kidnapping for ransom is common in Nigeria, especially in the oil-rich south.

The victims are usually released after a ransom is paid although police rarely confirm if money changed hands.

Five Chinese citizens, kidnapped in April in Bobi in central Niger state, were freed a month later in a forest in Birnin Gwari in neighbouring Kaduna state.

Also in April, two Chinese workers abducted on a construction site in Ebonyi state were released unharmed after two days in captivity.

Related Links
All About Oil and Gas News at OilGasDaily.com

Tweet

Condemnations pour in over death of detained Venezuela navy officer
Caracas (AFP) June 30, 2019
The United States and Venezuela's opposition on Sunday condemned the death under "torture" of a naval officer detained for alleged trying to oust President Nicolas Maduro. Washington blamed Maduro for the death of Rafael Acosta Arevalo, which came amid a standoff between Venezuela's opposition chief Juan Guaido and the president that's stretched for more than five months. "The United States condemns the killing and torture of" Acosta, the State Department said in a statement. The officer "d ... read more