Family 'shock' at hostage death

Brendan Vaughan, the British construction worker believed to have been killed in Nigeria, was described by his family as "a lovable rogue" who "lived life to the full."

Relatives of the British man, Brendan Vaughan, who is believed to have been killed by terrorists in Nigeria, have released the following statement:

Read: Details emerge of Brit apparently killed in Nigeria

Brendan Vaughan, the construction worker who was apparently killed by terrorists in Nigeria, is said to have moved to Thailand to start a new life.

A picture on his Facebook page shows him in the south east Asian country.

Vaughan appears to be one of seven hostages killed by terrorists.

All were employees of Setraco, a Lebanese construction company with an operation in Bauchi state, and had been held captive for about a month.

The girlfriend of the British construction worker believed to have been killed by terrorists in Nigeria has written “you’re always in my heart” on his Facebook page.

Friends also used the site to pay tributes - Peter Dixon wrote “RIP mate” while Dom Cooney posted: "Can’t believe it. He was like an ox."

Foreign secretary William Hague said yesterday he believed Brendan Vaughan, who had been taken hostage for three weeks, was killed by terrorist captors “in an act of cold-blooded murder”.

Vaughan was originally from Leeds but is said to have moved to Thailand to start a new life.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said he is determined to track down the terrorists behind the apparent killing of a British hostage.

"Responsibility for this tragic outcome rests squarely with the terrorists. I am grateful to the Nigerian Government for their unstinting help and co-operation," he said.

"We are utterly determined to work with them to hold the perpetrators of this heinous act to account, and to combat the terrorism which so blights the lives of people in Northern Nigeria and in the wider region."

Brendan Vaughan, the British man thought to have been killed in Nigeria by an Islamic extremist group, was "likely to have been murdered in cold blood", the Foreign Secretary said.

William Hague added that the UK had "worked closely" with Nigeria over the last few weeks, and expressed his thanks to the Nigerian authorities.

A British man "likely to have been killed" at the hands of his captors in Nigeria has been named as Brendan Vaughan, Foreign Secretary William Hague said.