ABUJA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A policeman was shot dead while trying to prevent some gunmen who abducted a German construction engineer in northwest Nigeria on Monday, local police said.

The German, identified as Michael Cremza, was on his way to a construction site in the northwestern city of Kano when the gunmen struck, the police said.

Musa Majiya, the spokesman of Kano police, said a team of operatives and detectives had launched a manhunt of the abductors.

Barely a week ago, a Syrian national based in Kano was killed, and his son kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the Nigerian city.

Abduction is common in Nigeria. The abduction of foreigners and high profile individuals in the country has been on the increase recently.