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Reps probe Nigerian miners’ abuse claim in CAR

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The House of Representatives Committee on China-Nigeria Parliamentary Relations has launched an investigation into a viral video showing some Nigerian workers in the Central African Republic, alleging abandonment and ill treatment.

In the video, which surfaced last Thursday, the miners claimed they were recruited by a Chinese mining company but were later abandoned, had their passports confiscated, and were subjected to inhumane treatment.

The workers appealed to Nigerians to amplify their message and draw attention to their situation.

They said they were stranded in Senye, a village in the Bambari region of CAR.

Reacting, the Chairman of the committee, Jaafaru Yakubu, in a statement on Wednesday,  expressed concern over the situation.

“The committee regrets the unfortunate situation the Nigerian workers are being subjected to in CAR and assures that a comprehensive investigation is currently ongoing to unravel the circumstances that led to their ordeal,” Yakubu noted.

The statement also addressed the role of Abdulrauf Ademola, the businessman accused in the video.

According to the committee, Ademola had denied all allegations of passport seizure, non-payment of wages, and abandonment.

The committee urged the public not to associate Ademola’s alleged actions with legitimate Chinese businesses operating in Nigeria.

“It is also important to state that Abdulrauf Ademola, the businessman who allegedly abandoned the Nigerians in CAR, had issued a statement refuting the allegations made by the workers who accused him of passport seizure, unpaid salaries, and abandonment in the widely circulated video.

“The committee wishes to inform the general public that Abdulrauf Ademola is not affiliated with the Chinese Embassy or the China General Chamber of Commerce, and his actions or inactions should not be linked to the embassy or Chinese enterprises doing their legitimate businesses in Nigeria,” it said.

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Yakubu also used the opportunity to reaffirm the strength of China-Nigeria ties, while appealing to the media and public to ensure accurate and balanced reporting.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government, on Tuesday, confirmed the rescue of the stranded workers.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, in a statement, said, “Stranded Nigerian workers in the Central African Republic have been successfully rescued and are currently in the custody of the Embassy of Nigeria in Bangui.

“A very big commendation to the staff of the Embassy and the Government of the Central African Republic for the successful operation.”

Also, a statement by the Director of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols Unit at the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said, “The stranded Nigerians in the Central African Republic have finally arrived at the Nigerian Embassy in Bangui.

“It will be recalled that through a viral video, some Nigerian miners called for help, and there was immediate intervention and swift response of officials of the Nigerian Embassy and CAR security who accompanied them from their location to the capital,” the statement said.

It added that the miners were under the care of embassy officials, who were making arrangements for their return to Nigeria.

“They are now in the safe hands of officials of the Nigerian Embassy, who will arrange their return home.

“They expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and staff of both countries, the Nigerian Embassy, the CAR security agencies and Nigerians who shared their stories,” the statement added.

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It stated that the Nigerian agent accused of luring them into the job and abandoning them had been identified and is currently in Nigeria.

“The agent who lured them into the job scam is currently based in Nigeria and has been identified and is expected to be prosecuted,” the statement concluded.

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PHOTOS: Police demote officer for unauthorised VIP escort duty

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The Nigeria Police Force has demoted a corporal to the rank of constable for engaging in unauthorised VIP escort duties, in violation of directives issued by the Inspector-General of Police and President Bola Tinubu.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the force disclosed that CPL Suleiman Musa (F/No: 517077), attached to 45 PMF, was found escorting a VIP without the required clearance. His action was deemed a breach of the strict enforcement measures put in place to end the indiscriminate deployment of police personnel for such assignments.

According to the statement, the disciplinary action serves as a warning to other officers and reinforces the need for full compliance with operational guidelines.

The force also noted that the incident raises questions about how the unauthorised assignment came about and whether the officer acted alone.

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PHOTOS: Father, son, three others d!e in Kano well collapse and fire incident

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Tragedy struck across three local government areas of Kano State as five people, including a 10-year-old girl, lost their lives in separate incidents involving a well collapse, a fall into a well, and a house fire.

The spokesperson of the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi, confirmed the incidents in a statement issued on Saturday, December 6, 2025.

The first incident occurred in Badume Kanawa Village, Bichi Local Government Area, where three people d!ed while attempting to re-dig a well.

According to Abdullahi, the rope supporting one of the victims, identified as Sa’idu Gada, 65, snapped while he was working inside the well.

In a desperate attempt to save him, his son, Sani Isyaku, 20, entered the well but also became trapped. A third man, Yakubu Abdullahi, 60, followed with the hope of rescuing both, but he too was unable to make it out.

Fire Service personnel rescued the trio in an unconscious state, but they were later confirmed d3ad.

Their remains were handed over to DSP Kabiru Iliyasu of the Badume Police Division.

In another incident in Danbatta Local Government Area, a 10-year-old boy, Hassan Iliyasu Haruna, fell into a well and d!ed before help could reach him.

The third tragedy occurred in Badawa Layin Day in Nassarawa Local Government Area, where a 10-year-old girl d!ed in a house fire on Thursday, December 4, 2025.

Fire Service officials said the blaze engulfed a section of a residential building, destroying two bedrooms. The girl was rescued unconscious but was later confirmed d3ad.

Speaking on the incidents, the Director of the Fire Service, Sani Anas, urged residents to avoid entering wells during emergencies, warning that such actions often result in additional casualties rather than successful rescues.

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He advised the public to immediately call emergency responders when accidents occur, stressing that trained personnel are better equipped to handle such situations safely.

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PHOTOS: Troops rescue 14 kidnapped victims in Benue forest

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Nigerian Army troops of Joint Task Force Sector One, Operation Udo Ka (OPUK), in collaboration with the Neighbourhood Watch, have rescued 14 kidnapped victims during a coordinated operation at Orokam Forest, a border area linking Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State and Ogbadigbo Local Government Area of Benue State.

The operation was conducted on Friday at about 1:30 p.m., following credible intelligence from locals indicating the presence of a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in the forest.

Troops deployed in Udenu LGA swiftly mobilised to the location alongside vigilante personnel of the Neighbourhood Watch.

While approaching the hideout, the criminals opened fire on the troops. The joint team responded with a high volume of fire, forcing the kidnappers to flee in disarray and abandon the kidnapped victims.

14 abducted persons, who were returning from a burial ceremony over the weekend before being kidnapped, were rescued unhurt.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the victims were abducted from two separate communities Ezimo Agu in Udenu LGA, Enugu State, and Orokam in Ogbadigbo LGA, Benue State.

The victims were subsequently handed over to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Udenu Division, for onward reunification with their families.

The troops expended 70 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition during the engagement and returned to base at about 7:21 p.m. without any incident.

Troops had intensified monitoring of the general area to deny criminal elements freedom of action.

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