A Nigerian military official says four abducted Chinese nationals have been rescued after a gun battle with sea pirates.
Army spokesman Major Ojo Adelegan says the four expatriates were kidnapped Friday while travelling from Lagos to Ondo state in the south.
He says the military received a distress call and captured one of the kidnappers.
He says some of the Chinese nationals were wounded and all are receiving treatment.
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The military declines to give names or other details.
China’s embassy has not yet commented.
Kidnapping for ransom is common in Nigeria but generally involves no fatalities.
Hostages are returned unharmed once money exchanges hands, though a German construction worker was killed in southwestern Nigeria in 2015.
Last month, the Nigeria Police in southern Delta state said they killed one suspect and arrested two others accused of involvement in the kidnapping last month of four Britons.
Three of the British hostages, Alanna Carson, David Donovan and Shirley Donovan were taken by gunmen on October 13 and were released earlier this week after negotiations, but a fourth, Ian Squire was killed.
Delta state police spokesman Andrew Aniamaka said officers arrested two suspects and killed a third after he opened fire, wounding two officers.
Aniamaka said two other suspects who were arrested previously led police to the three men.
