Scots oil worker held in Nigeria

The man, from Perthshire, was kidnapped in the early hours of Saturday off the coast of the Bayelsa state, in the southern part of the country.

A Foreign Office spokesman said the man's family had been informed.

He added: "The Foreign Office is in contact with the Nigerian authorities to try to bring this to a swift and peaceful resolution."

The spokesman could not confirm reports that the Scottish worker had been kidnapped along with another foreign national.

One unconfirmed report said he was taken from the Bulford Dolphin rig, 40 miles off the Niger Delta.

Oil-rich

Victor Akenge, the environment commissioner for Bayelsa state, said the kidnapping happened at around 0230 local time (0230 GMT).

The incident is the latest in a spate of kidnappings in Nigeria's oil-rich but impoverished Niger River delta region.

Almost 70 foreigners have been taken since the beginning of 2007 but most are released unharmed after a cash payment.

Six Britons, one American and a Canadian were kidnapped from the Bulford Dolphin rig last June and were released two days later.

Last year four Scottish workers were held for two weeks before eventually being released.

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