The Chinese embassy in Nigeria says it has launched an investigation into reports that a Chinese mining firm abandoned a group of Nigerian miners in the Central African Republic (CAR).
The development follows a viral video posted online on Thursday, where an unidentified man, speaking alongside five others, accused a Chinese company of failing to pay their wages after six months of work in a mining operation.
Responding to the allegation in a statement issued on Friday, the embassy said it takes the matter seriously and has commenced an immediate probe.
“The Chinese government consistently mandates that all Chinese enterprises and citizens operating abroad strictly comply with local laws and regulations, ensuring that all business operations fully adhere to local legal frameworks,” the statement reads.
The embassy urged the company involved to “address this matter appropriately” and pledged continued collaboration with Nigerian authorities.
“We will maintain close communication with Nigerian authorities throughout the investigation and work together to safeguard the lawful rights and interests of citizens of both nations,” the embassy added.
Meanwhile, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) said it has commenced efforts to rescue the affected workers.
On Friday, NIDCOM said officials from the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIA) and the Nigerian embassy in Bangui, CAR capital city, have established contact with the individuals, and their passports have been retrieved.
It added that arrangements have been made to dispatch a bus to transport them to the Nigerian Embassy in Bangui.
