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Gunmen in Nigeria kidnap Everton footballer's brother

06/07/2008

Armed men in Nigeria have kidnapped the elder brother of Premier League footballer Joseph Yobo.

The sibling of the Everton footballer was approached and captured as he drove home from a nightclub late at night. A group is yet to claim responsibility for the kidnapping and no ransom has been demanded.

A spokeswoman for the Rivers State police, Rita Inoma-Abbey, told the BBC that police were seeking to make contact with the kidnappers

She said: "We have not heard anything yet from Mr Norum or the kidnappers but we will make a statement available as soon as we can establish contact with them."

Kidnappings take place often in the Niger Delta region, which contains large reserves of oil. Militants in the area are known to kidnap foreigners and staff working on oil facilities and demand ransoms for their release.

Jospeh Yobo is a regular starter for the Everton first team and has been at the club since July 2002.