No breakthrough on kidnapped worker

Diplomatic efforts to obtain the release of George Scerri, the Maltese oil worker kidnapped in Nigeria on Friday, continued yesterday but the Foreign Ministry had no new developments to report.

Contact was made between Mr Scerri, 62 and Lonestar, the company that employs him, on Tuesday. His family in Malta was reportedly assured that he is well.

It is not clear whether the company contacted Mr Scerri or whether it was his kidnappers who put him in contact with the company. A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said there were no other developments yesterday and that diplomatic efforts were ongoing.

The government is in contact with the Nigerian government and with Lonestar.