Chinanews, Jan.8 - The five Chinese workers kidnapped in Nigeria Jan.5 are expected to be released soon, Xinhua reported yesterday (Jan.7), quoting a reliable source.

 

It is said that an unnamed powerful regional leader expressed that he would help the Chinese rescue group as well as the state government and the police free the hostages.

 

The Chinese rescue group headed by Wang Lei, political councilor at the Chinese embassy, arrived in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, on Saturday (Jan.6) afternoon.

 

The Chinese government has asked its embassy in Nigeria to make all-out efforts to help secure the release of the workers.

 

The five hostages, working in the Rivers State in southern Nigeria, were kidnapped by unidentified armed men on the morning of Jan.5.