Indian woman kidnapped in Nigeria's troubled oil-rich region

Lakshmi Tombush, the principal of Mobil Pegasus Schools in Akwa Ibom State, was kidnapped yesterday but the kidnappers are yet to establish contact with her family or demand ransom, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said in a report.

The school she works for is sponsored by oil firm ExxonMobil in the poor region where militants are running a campaign against foreign companies, demanding a better distribution of oil revenue.

The gunmen blocked the principal's car early morning yesterday in Eket, before killing a policeman attached to her as well as her driver, leaving their bodies abandoned in the vehicle.

Akwa Ibom State Police Command spokesman ASP Onyeka Orji was quoted as saying by the agency that police was already on the trail of the kidnappers and that investigation was in progress.

Scores of kidnappings have occurred in the troubled oil-rich region in recent years. A school bus with 15 children onborad was hijacked last month in the region, and the school children were rescued after a police operation.

Tombush serves with the Pegasus Schools, funded by Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN), for staff children.