- Safiu Kehinde
The House of Representatives Committee on China-Nigeria Parliamentary Relations has commenced probe on the alleged desertion of some Nigerian miners in the Central African Republic (CAR) by Chinese firm.
NPO Reported that the stranded miners had in a viral video caught the attention of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) as they recounted how a Chinese mining company had abandoned them in CAR ten months after they were brought to country in September 2024.
The workers alleged in the video that they were abandoned by a Nigerian businessman, Abdulrauf Ademola, who is purportedly linked to a Chinese company.
The stranded workers accused the businessman of withholding their passports, failing to pay their wages, and leaving them in difficult conditions in a remote area of CAR.
In swift response, the commission had arranged their evacuation from the Bambari region of the country where they were allegedly abandoned by the mining company.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday confirmed the rescue of the miners who were reportedly taken to the Nigerian embassy in CAR’s capital city for Bangui.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued on Wednesday, the Chairman of the China-Nigeria Parliamentary Relations Committee, Jaafaru Yakubu, described the situation as deeply regrettable.
Yakubu assured the public that a thorough investigation was underway to uncover the facts surrounding the incident and ensure accountability.
He however claimed that the action Nigerian businessman mentioned by the miners should not be linked to the Chinese Embassy of the Asian country’s General Chamber of Commerce.
“The committee wishes to inform the general public that Abdulrauf Ademola is not affiliated to the Chinese Embassy or the China General Chamber of Commerce.
“His actions or inactions should not be linked to the Embassy or Chinese enterprises doing their legitimate businesses in Nigeria.
“China-Nigeria relations have flourished over time, yielding significant results across key sectors such as trade, investment, infrastructure, technology, human capital development, and people-to-people partnerships,” the statement said.
The committee urged the media to always report China-Nigeria relations in a fair, balanced and truthful manner to reflect the solidarity and the existing mutual relationship between the two countries.
Howvever, the said Nigerian businessman accused by the miners has since denied the claims.
In a public statement, Abdulrauf refuted the accusation of passport seizure, non-payment of salaries, and desertion of the workers.