3 Chinese nationals kidnapped at gunpoint in Nigeria
- Armed gang also killed two Nigerians working with the hostages at a hydroelectric plant but police say they were able to rescue four expatriates in a gunfight
- Attack is the latest in a string of violent incidents; China’s ambassador calls for ‘zero tolerance’ of crimes targeting the country’s nationals
The gunmen also killed two Nigerians who were working with the expatriates on Tuesday at a hydroelectric power plant under construction in Niger state, which neighbours Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.
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The workers were installing a transmission line tower at the plant in the village of Gussase when the attackers arrived and opened fire, police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Police tactical team attached to the facility engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel while four of the expatriates were rescued,” Abiodun said, adding that with one of the Chinese workers and two Nigerian workers sustained bullet wounds.
He said an “aggressive manhunt” was under way to rescue the three hostages.
Chinese ambassador Cui Jianchun met Nigerian chief of police Usman Alkali Baba on Thursday and urged him to severely crack down on crimes involving Chinese citizens with a “zero tolerance” attitude, according to a statement on the Chinese embassy’s website.
“China is willing to work with Nigeria to continuously deepen cooperation in law enforcement and security between the two countries,” Cui said. No other details were given.
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Workers in the southern oil-rich Niger Delta region are most often targeted. Ransoms for hostages sometimes run into hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In November, Chinese authorities issued a travel advisory warning their citizens and companies against travel to “high-risk” areas in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
