Nigeria Gunmen Attacked Italian Firm Offices

Unknown gunmen have attacked the offices of Italian oil company Agip in Port Harcourt, southern Nigeria.

At least nine people were killed in the assault, seven of policemen and two were civilians working at the complex.

The gunmen attacked the riverside offices on speedboats and made their escape in the same way, having stolen a large amount of money, witnesses said.

After a lengthy gunfight with police, the assailants robbed a bank on the premises and safely made good their escape, without losing any members of their group.

Eni, the Italian energy giant which owns Agip, has been operating in Nigeria since 1962. In 2004, Eni accounted for approximately 10% of oil and gas production in Nigeria.

It is unclear if robbery was the sole motive for this latest attack.