The Federal Government has repatriated 11 Nigerian miners stranded in the Central African Republic (CAR) after being abandoned by their employer in a remote part of the country.
The rescue operation was coordinated by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria’s embassy in Bangui, following a viral distress video in which the miners appealed for help.
The footage, circulated on July 24, 2025, showed six of them pleading for evacuation from Senye village in the Bambari region, where they had endured months without pay.
A Sky Airlines Boeing 747-200 aircraft conveying the returnees landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday.
They were received at the Hajj Terminal, cleared by immigration, and screened by security agencies.
NEMA Director-General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, represented by Director of Search and Rescue Air Commodore Kenneth Oyong, commended the swift inter-agency collaboration involving the Office of the National Security Adviser, the National Intelligence Agency, and other stakeholders.
She explained that the miners were first relocated to the Nigerian ambassador’s residence in Bangui, where they received temporary shelter and care before arrangements were made for their return.
Nigerian Ambassador to CAR, Babagana Ahmed, said the group had been stranded for eight months in a forest settlement about 850 kilometres from Bangui.
They were rescued on July 28 through the combined efforts of the embassy, CAR authorities, and the employer, before being moved to the capital.
One of the miners, Oluremi Peters, said they had been recruited in September 2024 by a Nigerian associate and a Chinese national with promises of lucrative mining work.
After four months of inactivity, they were arrested by local police on suspicion of illegal activities, detained for 16 days, and later sent to work at a mining site.
Peters alleged they were promised 450,000 CFA francs per month but were underpaid and faced persistent delays.
He said frustration over their treatment led them to record the viral plea, which triggered the government’s intervention. Peters thanked the Nigerian authorities for their assistance and urged others to verify foreign job offers before travelling.
The Federal Government described the evacuation as proof of its commitment to safeguarding Nigerians abroad, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s policy of prompt action for citizens in distress.
