Oil firm on alert after man abducted

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CUTBACKS were being implemented on oil operations in Nigeria today – after a North-east businessman was snatched from his home.

It comes after a dramatic 24 hours of violence, as reported in later editions of yesterday’s Evening Express.

t Shell was now down-manning some of its facilities as a “precautionary measure”.

It is understood Mike Welford, who is originally from the Aberdeen area, was kidnapped from his home in Port Harcourt in the early hours of yesterday.

The 65-year-old is believed to have been alone when five gunmen stormed in and took him hostage.

No militant group has admitted responsibility for the kidnapping, which came as violence escalated elsewhere in the country with reports that militants had sabotaged a pipeline overnight in the southern oil region.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said in a statement that its fighters used high explosives to destroy the pipeline operated by Shell.

Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, of Nigerian police, said gunmen also attacked a Chevron oil platform.

Chevron spokesman Deji Haastrup said personnel were being withdrawn but he could not say what caused the evacuation.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “Nigerian authorities are investigating the incident and FCO officials are in touch with them.”