Suspected Nigerian militants have kidnapped four British nationals in the southern part of the country, police said on Wednesday.
The four had been providing “free medical care and religious activities” in the Burutu area of Delta state, local chief Theo Fakama said.
Local Sun Daily news outlet reports Delta state police spokesperson Andrew Aniamaka to have confirmed the kidnappings, which happened on October 13.
“The victims are of British nationality, two of whom are a couple, and have been rendering humanitarian services in the area for a while,” the news outlet quotes Aniamaka to say.
The spokesperson also said that the Britons had not informed the local authorities of their presence in the region for the period that they were there.
“Unfortunately, they didn’t let the authorities know of their presence in the area all this while,” he said.
“There is a militant group that has been operating in the area and we believe they are the ones behind the abduction.
“Immediately the militants struck, they whisked the victims to the interior regions of the creek where we believe they are being held for the past five days.”
Delta state commissioner of police Zanna Ibrahim told reporters in the state capital, Asaba, on Tuesday: “An anti-kidnapping team is already on the trail of the suspects.”
Source: AFP
