Mother of Nigerian lawmaker kidnapped in oil delta

YENAGOA, Nigeria, July 25 (Reuters) Suspected ransom-seekers kidnapped the mother of a senior legislator in Bayelsa state in the anarchic oil-producing Niger Delta, the state governor's spokesman said today.

Nathan Egba said the gunmen seized the mother of the speaker of the Bayelsa state house of assembly from her home on Tuesday evening.

It was the latest in a spate of abductions of relatives of powerful people in the Niger Delta.

The three-year-old son of a traditional ruler was released on July 13.

The Niger Delta is home to Africa's biggest oil industry which exports about 2.4 million barrels of crude per day.

It has become increasingly dangerous since early 2006 when armed groups demanding control over oil revenues stepped up attacks.

Numerous criminal gangs have seized the opportunity to carry out abductions for ransom, armed robberies and other crimes that have nothing to do with the political struggle in the impoverished delta.

REUTERS NC RAI1400