The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has made contact with the stranded Nigerians in the Central African Republic (CAR).
This is contained in a statement by Kimiebi Ebienfa, the spokesperson of the Ministry on Friday in Abuja.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that the affected Nigerians have been contacted by the hardworking officials of our Mission in the Central African Republic.
“The Embassy of Nigeria in Bangui is actively engaging with relevant authorities to ensure the safety, protection and swift repatriation of the affected Nigerian nationals.
“Their passports have been retrieved successfully and a vehicle has been sent to Bambari to evacuate the stranded Nigerians to Bangui.
“They are likely to arrive in the capital city with a military escort on Saturday, July 26, 2025,” Ebienfa said.
This is coming against backdrop of a trending video about stranded Nigerian nationals in Bambari region of the country.
The workers were reported in the video to have been abandoned by their employers and facilitators within the region that is about 850 kilometres from the capital, Bangui.
Ebienfa said that discussions are also ongoing with the company for their accommodation and welfare while in Bangui and their subsequent repatriation to Nigeria.
He reiterated the ministry’s commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of its citizens everywhere in the world.
Ebienfa urged Nigerians travelling abroad for work to always verify the credibility of their employers and ensure proper documentation before departure.
“Nigerians are also advised to register their presence and that of their employees with the Embassy of Nigeria whenever they are in any foreign country, to avert unpleasant experiences in event of consular issues”.
Earlier, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) confirmed the veracity of the viral video, where the Nigerians were allegedly maltreated in CAR.
NIDCOM in a statement by its Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, disclosed that the Nigerians were deceived and abandoned in the foreign land and forced to work for 11 months without pay.
“Their passports were confiscated, leaving them stranded. They urged the Nigerian government to intervene and rescue them. Sequel to this, the Commission immediately contacted officials of the Embassy in the CAR to look into the matter.
“It is gratifying to inform members of the public that contact has been established with them, their seized passports retrieved, while plans are on to send a bus to convey them to the embassy in Bangui, which is at least an eight-hour drive. The agent in question has also been identified.
“This is to express the appreciation of the Commission to the officials of the Nigerian Embassy for their swift action,” the statement reads.