The United States embassy in Nigeria said on Tuesday that it had received reports that an American citizen was among oil workers kidnapped in the southern oil city of Port Harcourt.
At least five foreign workers — two Britons, a German, an Irish and Polish — were snatched by armed men from the Goodfellas nightclub shortly before midnight on Sunday, but authorities still do not have a full list of those abducted.
Diplomats said the American may have been abducted in a separate incident in the same city, but no further details were immediately available.
“We are receiving reports that one American citizen was among the oil workers kidnapped. We are monitoring the situation closely,” an embassy spokesman said.
The British High Commission in Nigeria said two Britons were among the hostages. Irish public broadcaster RTE reported that Brian Fogarty, an Irish citizen, was also abducted, while the German Foreign Ministry said one of its nationals was taken.
“The signals say the kidnappers are hoodlums,” said a spokeswoman for Rivers State police.
It was the fifth kidnapping of oil workers in Africa’s top oil producer this month, and follows a wave of militant attacks against the oil industry which have cut Nigerian production by a quarter since February.
About ten foreign oil workers are still in captivity, after five were set free in two separate releases on Monday