A WOMAN has spoken for the first time of her battle to find out the truth about her husband's death in Africa.

David Hunt died in the crossfire of a gun battle between rebels and Nigerian servicemen after he was kidnapped in November 2006.

His widow, Janice, spent 18 months trying to find out how her husband ended up being kidnapped and killed, despite being surrounded by armed security guards.

The 56-year-old, of Middlesbrough, said: "It has been a horrific time for the family. We have had no support from David's employers or the Nigerian government. I have called and emailed everyone and they just haven't been forthcoming with any information.

"The only people who told me what had happened to David were people who had worked with him and I had managed to track down myself.

"This whole thing has caused a massive strain on me and my family, and we should not have had to go through that."

Mr Hunt was kidnapped with six other oil workers from a tanker and oil refinery based off the coast of Nigeria -by a group calling itself the Supreme Egbesu Boys.

The 58-year-old grandfather was forced to stand up in the kidnappers' boat as a navy vessel tried to intercept it as they sped towards the coast. Mr Hunt received fatal gunshot wounds to the head and back.

On Wednesday, Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield recorded that Mr Hunt had been unlawfully killed.

Mother-of-two Mrs Hunt said: "The coroner's office and the family liaison team at Cleveland Police were absolutely wonderful and very understanding.

"I did not even know my husband had been held hostage for 15 hours before the police came round and told me he was dead.

"Trying to find out who David actually worked for was virtually impossible - I am still not sure.

"I tried to get details out of several firms that were involved in the project, but none of them would tell me how David had died."

Mr Hunt had vast experience of working in hostile countries after time in Libya, Syria and Algeria during the 27 years he worked abroad.

His wife said: "He would not have gone to Nigeria if he had known how dangerous it was, but he was guaranteed it was 100 per cent safe.

"I now have nightmares and flashbacks thinking about what happened to my husband, but I simply had to know the truth."