Four Nigerian soldiers and two civilians tragically lost their lives, while two South Korean employees were kidnapped in a violent ambush by gunmen in southern Nigeria, as announced by the police on Wednesday.
The incident unfolded on Tuesday morning along a road in Rivers State, a region known for such security challenges. Kidnappings for ransom remain prevalent in Nigeria, with criminal groups often targeting foreigners, especially those engaged in mining and construction activities situated far from urban centers.
According to a senior state police official who spoke to the Press, the assailants targeted a convoy of vehicles carrying two Daewoo workers at approximately 9:30 am. Shockingly, four soldiers who were escorting the Koreans, along with their two civilian drivers, lost their lives in the attack.
The unidentified official further stated, “The gunmen, after fatally ambushing the convoy, also abducted the two Koreans, making off with the soldiers’ weapons in the process.”
Rivers State Police spokesperson Grace Iringe Koko confirmed the attack, assuring ongoing investigations. “We are investigating the matter and will provide details later,”
Efforts to obtain comments from the army and Daewoo company proved unsuccessful as they were not immediately available for response.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, hosts several Asian companies, including Chinese and South Korean entities involved in extensive road and rail construction projects. Sadly, history reveals that foreign workers kidnapped in Nigeria have, in the past, secured release after paying ransoms to their captors.
