The seven Chinese nationals who were believed to have been kidnapped by bandits in June 2022 have been rescued by the Nigerian Airforce.
The Chinese Nationals were kidnapped while working on a mining site in Ajata-Aboki, Gurmana ward of Shiroro Local Government Area Niger State.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, in a statement said the Special Forces under the 271 NAF detachment in Birnin Gwari in Kaduna state carried out a rescue operation in the early hours of Saturday, leading to the rescue.
The statement explains that the combat search and rescue operation, which consisted of 35 Special Forces, was conducted at night in the Kanfani Doka and Gwaska general areas leading to the assailants abandoning their enclaves and weapons due to the superior firepower of the special forces.
According to the statement, the rescued victims were flown to the 271 NAF detachment Medical Centre for evaluation where two of them were stabilized after which they were flown to the NAF Base Medical Hospital, Kaduna for further medical investigations.
The statement notes that Governor Nasir El-Rufai while expressing satisfaction with the successful operation commended the Chief of Air Staff, the Commander and men of the 271 NAF detachment for the daring operation.
