Nigeria: British Hostage 'A Lovable Rogue'

The family of a construction worker believed killed by Islamist militants in Nigeria has described him as a "lovable rogue".

Brendan Vaughan is thought to have died after the al Qaeda-linked Ansaru group, killed seven people it had abducted from the compound of Setraco, a Lebanese construction company, in the north of the country.

In a statement released by the Foreign Office, his family said they were "shocked and saddened" by his death.

They paid tribute to "a loved father, brother and fiance who was tragically killed on March 10, 2013" and said he "lived life to the full and on his own terms".

"He has been deprived of meeting his first grandchild, a baby girl to be born in May, Brendan may be gone but will be never forgotten," the statement said.

"The family would like to thank friends and family for their support, kindness and condolences. We would also like to thank the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Police for their fantastic support since Brendan was abducted last month."

Earlier, on Facebook, Mr Vaughan's Thai girlfiend, Orasa Arpornkaew, wrote "Your always in my heart."

Mr Vaughan was taken from the compound in Bauchi state on February 7.

The militants, believed to be linked to the larger Boko Haram group claimed the hostages were killed in retaliation for a rescue attempt by the British and Nigerian governments.

But the UK and Nigeria, as well as other governments whose nationals were taken, denied any mission to retrieve the hostages had been attempted.

There was a suggestion that a sighting of British planes flying into Abuja in Nigeria to ferry troops and equipment to Bamako in Mali might have caused the militants to panic.

Foreign Secretary William Hague on Sunday condemned the likely killing as "cold-blooded murder" and said he would work with the Nigerian government to bring those behind the attack to account.