KADUNA (Reuters) – Kidnappers in Nigeria killed a British woman and a Nigerian man, and abducted three others in the northern city of Kaduna, local police and the British High Commission said on Sunday.
Kidnappings are rampant in Nigeria, where both locals and foreigners are targeted — mostly for ransom.
The woman traveled from Lagos as a tourist and was attending a party before the incident happened, police said.
The British High Commission named the woman as Faye Mooney and said it was aware of the incident that happened late on Friday but added it would not speculate on the motive or nature of attack.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the incident and the kidnappers have yet to be identified, police said.
Mooney was employed in Nigeria by a non-governmental organization called Mercy Corps. Her next of kin have been notified, the British High Commission said.
“Some suspected kidnappers armed with dangerous weapons gained entry into a recreational resort called Kajuru Castle in Kajuru local government area shooting sporadically and in the process shot dead two persons, including an expatriate lady, and took away three others,” Kaduna state police spokesman said.
The police did not name the other person killed.
Northern Nigeria is plagued by a Boko Haram and Islamic State insurgency as well as clashes between farmers and herders in which hundreds have died.
“We are engaging with the Nigerian authorities, and we understand an investigation is underway,” the British High Commission said in a statement.
President Muhammadu Buhari won re-election for another four years in February, pledging to improve security in Nigeria, boost economic growth and fight corruption.
In 2014, more than 270 schoolgirls were abducted from the town of Chibok propelling the Boko Haram insurgency into the spotlight, prompting the global #BringBackOurGirls campaign. Some of the girls remain in captivity five year later.
-af.reuters.com