Nigerian authorities have waded into the case of six citizens who cried out for help after being abandoned by a Chinese mining firm, Rado Central Coal Mining Company, in a remote settlement in the Central African Republic.
The men say they had laboured for over 10 months without pay, food and water by their employers.
Both the Foreign Affairs Minister and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) have begun moves to bring relief to the affected workers recruited by Chinese for mining purposes.
Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, Foreign Affairs Minister responded, saying: “A Nigerian in partnership with Chinese took them to Central African Republic to work in a mining concern. As usual, the Nigerian Embassy there was not notified, nor did they register with them. The Nigerian took off and left them stranded. The Embassy has intervened and found out that their passports had been taken away from them to process their work permits with the CAR authorities. The Embassy has retrieved their passports and has arranged to bring them to the Mission in Bangui (the capital) by tomorrow, God willing. They are in a remote area.”
*PRESS RELEASE*
*Re: Nigerians in distress in CAR*
The attention of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has been drawn to the distress call in a viral video where some Nigerians were allegedly maltreated in Central Africa Republic (CAR)
The Nigerians were deceived and abandoned in a foreign land, forced to work for 11 months without pay. Their passports were confiscated, leaving them stranded. They urged the Nigerian government to intervene and rescue them.
Sequel to this, the Commission immediately contacted officials of the Embassy in the CAR to look into the matter.
It is gratifying to inform members of the public that contact has been established with them, their seized passports retrieved while plans are on to send a bus to convey them to the embassy in Bangui which is at least an eight hour drive.The agent in question has also been identified.
This is to express the appreciation of the Commission to the officials of the Nigerian Embassy for their swift action.
A statement by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit of the Nigeria Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), said:
In a viral video circulating on social media, the visibly distressed men narrated how they were recruited from Nigeria and transported to the Central African Republic in September 2024 under the promise of paid employment.
However, 10 months later, they allege they have neither been paid nor given valid documentation to return home.
“We came here through a mining company that brought us from Nigeria to come and work,” one of the stranded men said.
“We have been here for 10 months, but we need the assistance of Nigerians. The company that brought us here has abandoned us.”Travel and accommodation packages
The workers claimed they were initially held in the capital city, Bangui, for four months before being transferred deep into the bush in the Bambari region, where the company, reportedly owned by two Chinese nationals — Mr. Yang and Mr. Wu — has been operating a remote mining site.
Their situation took a turn for the worse when they were allegedly detained by local authorities before being released and moved to an isolated area without basic amenities or means of communication.
According to the workers, their Nigerian manager, identified as Abdulmaruf Ademola Aregbe, returned to Nigeria and severed ties with them, claiming he was no longer responsible for their welfare.Travel and accommodation packages
His Central African business partner, simply identified as Amos, reportedly seized their passports, leaving them unable to travel.
“Without our passports, we cannot pass through the road because the law is very strict here. The distance between this place and Bangui is 850 kilometres,” one of the victims lamented.
The workers are currently stranded in Senye, under the Bambari region, and have called on the Nigerian government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) to urgently intervene and facilitate their safe return.Travel and accommodation packages
“The attention of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has been drawn to the distress call in a viral video where some Nigerians were allegedly maltreated in Central Africa Republic (CAR)
“The Nigerians were deceived and abandoned in a foreign land, forced to work for 11 months without pay. Their passports were confiscated, leaving them stranded. They urged the Nigerian government to intervene and rescue them.
“Sequel to this, the Commission immediately contacted officials of the Embassy in the CAR to look into the matter.
“It is gratifying to inform members of the public that contact has been established with them, their seized passports retrieved while plans are on to send a bus to convey them to the embassy in Bangui which is at least an eight hour drive.The agent in question has also been identified.
“This is to express the appreciation of the Commission to the officials of the Nigerian Embassy for their swift action.”
