Kidnappers who abducted a Chinese expatriate and his Nigerian colleague during a deadly attack on a mining site in Kwara State have demanded a staggering ransom of ₦1 billion for their release.
Sources close to the development revealed that Zagazola Makama, a counterterrorism expert on Lake Chad, said on Friday that the abductors used the victims’ mobile phones to contact an associate identified as Mr. Leo Liang, through whom the ransom demand was communicated.
According to Makama, the victims, Sam Xie Wie, a Chinese national, and David Adenaiye, a Nigerian, were seized on Wednesday during a coordinated assault on the mining site where they worked.
The attack, which took place in a remote area of the state, also claimed the lives of two officers of the Police Mobile Force who were assigned to provide security for the expatriates.
The incident has triggered serious concern within security circles, as well as among residents and the business community.
It underscores the growing threat posed by armed criminal gangs targeting foreign nationals and strategic economic facilities, particularly in mineral-rich regions.
Makama reported that the security agencies, in collaboration with local vigilante groups, have since launched a search-and-rescue operation aimed at tracking the kidnappers and securing the safe release of the hostages.
“Authorities are reportedly leveraging both intelligence gathering and community support to locate the victims”, he said.
A security source who spoke to Makama on condition of anonymity said efforts are being intensified to ensure that the abducted men are recovered alive and unharmed.
“We are doing everything possible to get them back safely. It’s a coordinated effort involving several agencies and local networks,” the source said.
There has been no official comment yet from either the Kwara State Police Command or the Chinese embassy regarding the ransom demand or the progress of the rescue operation.
Security expert noted that the incident adds to a growing list of violent abductions in Nigeria’s North-Central region, raising concerns about the safety of expatriates and the effectiveness of current security measures protecting critical economic sectors, including mining.
