A group of Nigerian miners stranded in the Central African Republic (CAR) have been rescued and safely received at the Nigerian Embassy in Bangui, the country’s capital, following a joint operation by Nigerian officials and CAR security forces.
The miners had earlier gained public attention after a distressing video surfaced online, showing them visibly weak and pleading for help. In the footage, they revealed they had been lured to CAR by a Nigerian agent working in collaboration with a Chinese national, and subsequently abandoned without pay for 11 months after being recruited for mining work.
Following the viral appeal, the Nigerian Embassy in CAR, in conjunction with local security forces, swiftly responded. Embassy officials and CAR military personnel launched a rescue mission, successfully locating the miners in a remote part of the country. The miners were then escorted on a challenging, multi-day journey to Bangui, where they are now under the care of Nigerian diplomatic staff.
Authorities Prepare Repatriation as Miners Express Gratitude and Agent Faces Legal Action
According to a statement from Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols at the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the rescue operation was a coordinated effort involving embassy staff and CAR’s military. He confirmed that preparations are underway for the miners’ repatriation to Nigeria.
The victims have expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, Nigerian Ambassador to CAR Babagana Ahmed, and NiDCOM Chairperson Abike Dabiri-Erewa for their prompt and decisive intervention. They also extended their thanks to CAR’s security agencies, the Nigerian Embassy staff, and citizens who helped amplify their plight online.
NiDCOM further revealed that the Nigerian agent implicated in luring and abandoning the miners has been identified and is currently in Nigeria. Authorities are expected to take legal action against him in due course.
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