Mohammed Sani Idris was abducted from his home (library photo)Image caption: Mohammed Sani Idris was abducted from his home (library photo)
A senior government official in Niger state, central Nigeria, has been kidnapped, an official statement has said.

Mohammed Sani Idris - who is Niger state's commissioner for information - was abducted from his home by an armed gang at about 01:00 local time on Monday morning, according to a local government statement.

Security agencies have reportedly mounted a search operation for his rescue.
This comes less than a week after the parents of the speaker of parliament in neighbouring Zamfara state were kidnapped.