By John Ikani
Three Chinese expatriates working at the Zungeru Hydro Power Dam project in Wushishi LGA in Niger State have been abducted by suspected bandits.
Heritage times gathered that the bandits also shot a Chinese worker and a Nigerian working at the site of the project.
Confirming the incident to newsmen, Secretary to the Niger State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Matane did not give details but promised to make them available later.
Also confirming the attack, the State Police Command in a statement issued by its spokesman, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, said the workers attacked comprised some Chinese expatriates and Nigerians.
According to Abiodun, the workers were attacked while working on a transmission line tower along Gussase village.
While noting that the Police tactical team attached to the facility engaged the terrorists in a gun duel, Abiodun added that four of the expatriates were rescued, while one of them and a local staff sustained bullet wounds.
He said the injured have been taken to the hospital for medical treatment, adding that in the process of scampering for safety during the gun duel, three among the expatriates could not be accounted for.
Meanwhile, joint Police/military tactical teams at Zungeru are already on an aggressive manhunt of the hoodlums and rescue of the missing/abducted expatriates.
Zungeru hydropower project is a 700MW hydroelectric facility being built with Chinese assistance on the upper and middle reaches of Kaduna River in the Niger State of Nigeria.
The project is estimated to cost $1.3bn. Zungeru is the biggest hydropower project under construction in Nigeria. It is also one of the biggest power projects in Africa to avail preferential loan facility from the Export-Import Bank (Exim Bank) of China.
