By Anifowoshe Oladipupo
Eleven Nigerian miners, recently freed from a harrowing ordeal in the Central African Republic (CAR), are appealing to the federal government to help them recover nearly a year’s worth of unpaid salaries.
The miners, allegedly recruited by a Nigerian agent and a Chinese national, were abandoned in CAR without pay for 11 months.
Their plight gained public attention after a viral video showed them pleading for help.
Speaking in Abuja on behalf of the group, Freeborn Igorigo thanked President Bola Tinubu for facilitating their swift rescue.
He described their time in CAR’s forest as life-threatening, citing intimidation by armed soldiers, physical assaults, and even imprisonment.
While grateful to be home, Igorigo said the rescue was “only the first step,” urging authorities to compel their employers to settle outstanding wages.
“If such companies get away with this, it will encourage more exploitation of Nigerians abroad,” he warned.
The rescue was coordinated by Nigeria’s ambassador to CAR, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
