The increasingly high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks has prompted the government to advise all Britons to leave the Niger Delta.

Since January last year, 31 Britons and more than 180 foreigners have been kidnapped in 15 separate incidents in the three states of the oil producing area in Nigeria. One Briton has been killed.

A Briton was one of four foreign oil workers kidnapped in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State, last week.

Yesterday, the Foreign Office updated its advice to say that Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states are unsafe and that British nationals who choose to stay in the region do so at their own risk and should take professional security advice.

Abuja, Glasgow's Nigerian rival for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, is 300 miles north of the Delta.

There are 4000 Britons in Nigeria with around 800 registered as being in the Niger Delta. Most of these are oil workers.

Recent attacks in the area have led to a 25% cut in Nigeria's oil production.

Ships and installations off the coast of the Delta are also being warned of the high risk of attacks and kidnappings.

Aberdeen North Labour MP Frank Doran, who has campaigned for tougher travel advice, said the situation had become "very, very serious".

He said the UK government, the Nigerian government and private security firms could not guarantee the safety of Britons.

"I think the oil companies have to look seriously about whether they can continue to work there," he added.