shell worker in Nigeria

Two senior employees of the oil company 'Shell' have been kidnapped and their police escorts killed in Nigeria's restive oil rich 'Delta' region, according to police reports.

Iran Press/Africa: The attack took place as the Shell employees were returning from a business trip to Bayelsa state on Thursday and they were kidnapped in Rumuji road in Rivers state on the East-West road. Gunmen killed the police guards and seized the two workers, officials said.

Nigerian Police say an operation has been launched to rescue the Shell employees. Their names and nationalities have not been released, BBC reported.

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) confirmed the attack on its staff and government security escort.

Kidnapping for ransom is common among militants in Nigeria, with foreigners and high-profile Nigerians frequently targeted.

Earlier this month, a British woman was one of two people shot dead by gunmen who stormed a holiday resort in the northern city of Kaduna. Three others were kidnapped during the attack.

In January last year, two Americans and two Canadian citizens were abducted while travelling from the town of Kafanchan in Kaduna state to the capital Abuja. Two of their police escorts were killed.

The four kidnap victims were later freed unharmed in a joint military and police operation.101/211/205

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