Gunmen kidnapped seven foreigners and killed a security guard
when they stormed the compound of Lebanese construction
company Setraco in northern Nigeria’s Bauchi state early on
Sunday, the police said.
Among those abducted were a Briton, an Italian, a Greek and more
than one Lebanese worker, including two women, local government
chairman Adamu Aliyu and security sources said.
Northern Nigeria is plagued by attacks and kidnappings by Islamist
groups. Al Qaeda aligned group Ansaru claimed the kidnap in
December of a French national who is still missing.
Bauchi Police Chief Mohammed Ladan said the gunmen attacked a
police station and a prison overnight before storming the
construction firm’s compound in Jama’are town.
“We repelled the attack on police station and the security men at
the prison yard also repelled the attack, but they burnt two vehicles
in Jama’are police station,” Ladan said.
“They then attacked Setraco construction, killed a local security
guard and they succeeded in kidnapping people.”
The Italian foreign ministry confirmed one of its nationals was taken
in the raid. A spokesman for the British Embassy in Abuja said it
was investigating.
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Source: Reuters
