The security situation in southern Nigeria's Delta State has further deteriorated as a foreigner was abducted in Warri, a city in the state.

The foreigner, identified as Kajik, was kidnapped at NPA, DeltaPort, Warri, around noon on Thursday, a source said. Kajik works for Ocean Sand Dredging Nigeria Limited.

Port Harcourt, capital city of the Rivers State, also saw chaos on Thursday as militants seized the city for more than two hours, according to police in the state on Friday.

The militants started shooting sporadically from Elechie Beach, one of the slums in the city where illicit activities thrive openly, and moved toward Njamanze Waterside and Abonnema Wharf. Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, Felix Ogbaudu, confirmed the event.

Some of the militants later rode in a mini-bus shooting indiscriminately as they headed toward Education Bus Stop, where most of the print media houses in the country have their offices.

Before soldiers and riot policemen were deployed in the streets, a commercial bus driver had been killed. Scores of people were also wounded by the gun-wielding militants, and most of those injured were passers-by.

The militants opened fire on a passenger bus in front of the state Newspaper Corporation and killed the driver who had just dropped off some passengers, according to a report by the Guardian on Friday.

As the shooting continued in the area, soldiers and policemen were immediately deployed in groups to face them in battle. The law enforcement agents also blocked some routes in the area before the gunmen immediately withdrew into the slums and the shootings stopped.

Meanwhile, the US State Department confirmed on Friday that three US citizens have been kidnapped in Nigeria.

"Our consulate general in Lagos reports that three American citizens were kidnapped in Bayelsa state," State Department press officer Gonzo Gallegos said.

The authorities are notifying the families of the kidnapped citizens and are closely monitoring the situation, Gallegos said.

According to media reports, three Americans, two Britons and one South African have been kidnapped in Nigeria's oil-rich yet restive Niger Delta area.

Since the beginning of this month, about 40 foreigners have been abducted in southeastern Nigeria.

(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2007)