Stranded Nigerian miners in the Central African Republic (CAR) have finally been rescued and are now in safe custody at the Nigerian Embassy in Bangui, the capital city.
The development follows a viral video released by the miners, in which they made a desperate appeal for help after being abandoned by their employers, identified as a Chinese national and a Nigerian agent who had allegedly hired them for mining work and left them unpaid for 11 months.
A statement issued by the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit at the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the timely intervention of officials from the Nigerian Embassy in Bangui, in collaboration with CAR security agencies, facilitated the safe relocation of the victims to the capital city.
“The journey to Bangui took several days. The Nigerians, who were victims of a job scam, were visibly traumatised, weak, and distressed after enduring months of exploitation and abandonment,” the statement said.
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Upon arrival in Bangui, the rescued miners were received by embassy officials who are currently making arrangements for their safe return to Nigeria.
The rescued individuals expressed deep gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, the ministers of foreign affairs, officials of the Nigerian Embassy in CAR, the Central African security authorities, and fellow Nigerians who amplified their plight online and called for immediate action.
NiDCOM also confirmed that the Nigerian agent involved in the recruitment scam has been identified and is currently based in Nigeria.
Authorities are expected to prosecute him for his role in the exploitation and abandonment of the miners.
