(Map source: www.unicef.org)

Five Chinese workers were kidnapped in Nigeria's southern state of Rivers early yesterday morning, a Chinese embassy official said.

Wang Lei, political councilor of the Chinese Embassy in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, said that "the five workers from a Chinese communication company were kidnapped about 5am local time yesterday at Emohua, Rivers state. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings."