Bulgarian, Briton freed in Nigeria - ministry

SOFIA, Aug 8 (Reuters) A Bulgarian and a Briton, kidnapped last month in Nigeria's oil producing Delta region, have been freed, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said today.

The 48-year-old Bulgarian is expected to arrive in Sofia via Paris tomorrow, the ministry said in a statement.

The two were kidnapped on July 9 from a production barge near Calabar in Cross River state -- an area in the east of the southern delta that is usually relatively safe and peaceful.

The Bulgarian and the Briton worked for the British oil company Exprogroup, the ministry said.

Yesterday, six Russian hostages were freed in the Niger Delta, which is home to Africa's largest oil industry.

REUTERS GT KN1935