An Italian engineer working for Marlum Construction Company, identified as Joseph, has been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen to yet unknown destination in southeast Nigeria's Ebonyi state.
The Italian company is handling the projects at the new Abakaliki capital development city, Xinhua reported.
Kachi Udorji, Ebonyi state Commissioner for Police, confirmed the incident on Tuesday but decline to give details.
The Lagos based Vanguard newspaper reported on Wednesday that a ransom of 150 million naira (1 million U.S. dollars) had been demanded by suspected kidnappers.
According to reports from the scene of the incident, Joseph was on his way to a construction site when the vehicle conveying him was intercepted along the pathway leading to the company's yard, and was forced into the boot of the vehicle of the gunmen.
The search for Joseph by security forces in the state was still in top gears, but information around the efforts was very little.
More than 200 foreigners have been seized in the Niger Delta since early 2006.
