A Briton, an Italian, a Greek and four Lebanese have been confirmed abducted and a security guard killed by unknown gunmen who stormed a road construction firm near Jama’are in Bauchi.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Hassan Mohammed said in a telephone interview that the foreigners were kidnapped after killing the lone security guard in the premises of construction giants SETRACO.

“The issue is not only the kidnap. What happened was an encounter between the police and unknown gunmen who opened fire at the Jama’are Police Station around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday,” he said.

The PPRO said that “the hoodlums moved to a mini prison yard near Jama’are where the police also repelled their attack,” adding: “The hoodlums were also repelled at Gajuwa Police Station before they fled and seized the opportunity to enter a company called SETRACO through the backyard and killed one of the civilian security guards before proceeding to kidnap the seven expatriates.”

The police spokesman assured that intensive efforts have commenced with a view to tracking down the hoodlums.

•Photo: Police Inspector-General MD Abubakar.