Abuja: Eleven Nigerian miners recently rescued from the Central African Republic (CAR) have expressed their appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria for facilitating their safe return. Speaking on behalf of the group in Abuja, Mr. Freeborn Igorigo extended gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, highlighting the timely rescue and the warm reception they received upon their return.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the miners had been allegedly misled into traveling to CAR by a Nigerian agent working in coordination with a Chinese national. The miners had previously appealed for assistance through a viral video, where they appeared visibly weak and distressed, claiming they had been abandoned without pay for 11 months after being recruited for mining work.
Igorigo shared the harrowing details of their ordeal, revealing that they faced life-threatening conditions in the CAR forest, including threats from armed soldiers, physical assaults, unjust imprisonment, and prolonged deprivation. He also noted that some of the miners now suffer from medical conditions due to hazardous exposure and accidents in the forest. Igorigo, who had been working for the company for three years and had been in CAR since September 2024, was the person who recorded and shared the video that brought attention to their situation.
He explained that while Chinese workers were evacuated from the mining site, the Nigerian workers were left in dangerous and isolated conditions. Attempts to leave were met with armed threats and violence. Igorigo credited the successful rescue to the coordinated efforts of Nigeria’s Ambassador to Central Africa, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Despite their safe return, Igorigo lamented that they came back home without their due wages, as their employers had withheld their salaries for nine months. He mentioned that the company occasionally distributed small amounts as “3D money” to appease the workers, but promises of full payment remained unfulfilled. Igorigo emphasized that their rescue was merely the first step, urging the government to ensure justice and the recovery of their unpaid wages.
He appealed to the authorities, including the DSS, the Ministry of Mines, and the Federal Government, to assist in reclaiming their earnings, warning that failure to address the issue could encourage further exploitation of Nigerians abroad. The News Agency of Nigeria noted that following the viral video, the Nigerian Embassy in CAR, in collaboration with security forces, acted swiftly to locate and escort the miners from their remote location to the CAR capital city.