Niger govt lauds release of kidnapped Chinese nationals

After spending six months in the den of kidnappers, seven Chinese nationals kidnapped at Ajata Aboki, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State in June have been rescued by the Nigerian Airforce.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs, Emmanuel Umar, and made available to our correspondent in Minna on Sunday, the Niger State Government lauded the release of the kidnap victims.

According to the commissioner, the Chinese nationals who were kidnapped from a mining site in the state were rescued by NAF officers on a rescue mission.

“The Niger State Government receives with great joy the reports on the rescue mission undertaken by NAF in rescuing seven kidnapped Chinese nationals that were kidnapped at Ajata Aboki, Shiroro LGA of Niger State, in June 2022.

The PUNCH reported that the kidnappers of the Chinese nationals had killed 37 security personnel in the process of executing the kidnap at a mining site.

During the kidnap, the bandits attacked the mining site and opened fire on the workers and security operatives killing both security operatives and civilians.

Eleven people including seven Mobile Policemen attached to the mining site providing security cover for the expatriates and six other civilians were gruesomely killed through an ambush while scores of others sustained various degrees of multiple gunshot injuries.

The state government and the military have remained mum about the number of military personnel killed during the attack.

The statement by the commissioner did not state if ransoms were paid in exchange for the Chinese nationals.