Gunmen In Nigeria Kidnap Bulgarian In Niger Delta

They ambushed him in his vehicle, firing in the air and then grabbing him.

Gunmen in Nigeria kidnapped a Bulgarian in the southeastern state of Abia in the oil-rich Niger Delta and are demanding 500 million naira ($4.2 million) for his release, a security source said on Friday.

"They ambushed him in his vehicle, firing in the air and then grabbing him," said the private sector security source, adding that eight gunmen were involved in the attack in the city of Aba.

Kidnappings for ransom are frequent in the main oil-producing states of Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa in the Niger Delta, home to Nigeria's oil sector.

Security sources say kidnappings are now on the rise in Abia state, although most have so far involved Nigerian captives. Abia is northeast of Rivers state.