Khadijah Shehu Abdulkareem
The Federal Government has received 11 Nigerian miners stranded in the Central African Republic (CAR) after being abandoned by their employer for eight months in a remote forest area. The returnees arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 4:50 p.m. on Thursday, 14th August 2025, aboard Asky Flight B-747-200 (ET-AXO). They were accompanied by Nigeria’s Ambassador to CAR, Babagana Ahmed, who played a key role in their rescue following a viral video plea on 24th July 2025.
Speaking during the reception, Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, represented by the Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Kenneth Oyong, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding citizens in distress abroad. She commended the collaboration between the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigeria Intelligence Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Nigerian Embassy in Bangui for ensuring the safe return of the miners. NEMA provided the returnees with meals, lodging, and transportation to reunite with their families.
Ambassador Ahmed explained that the miners, recruited by DENACO ERADO Mining Company, were left stranded in Senye, a village in the Bambari Region, about 840 kilometres from the capital, Bangui. The embassy, in collaboration with relevant authorities, evacuated them to the capital on 28th July 2025, where they received accommodation, medical care, and other welfare support before their journey back to Nigeria.
Team lead for the returnees, Mr. Freeborn Igorigo from Delta State, appealed to the Federal Government to help recover their unpaid wages, noting that the company owes them eight months’ salary. He lamented that many of them returned home empty-handed despite leaving their families for over a year, with some developing health complications from hazardous mining conditions. Another returnee, Oluyemi Peter from Kogi State, expressed gratitude to the government but advised Nigerians seeking jobs abroad to make thorough enquiries before migrating.
The reception was conducted in collaboration with the Nigerian Immigration Service, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Air Force, and Department of State Services, reflecting a coordinated national effort to bring the miners home safely.