Gunmen kidnap 5 Chinese in Nigeria

Chinese rescue group arrives in Nigeria

LAGOS -- The lives of the five Chinese workers kidnapped on Friday morning can be ensured and they would be released safely if everything goes on smoothly, a reliable source told Xinhua on Sunday.

The official quoted a well-known local king of the Emohua local council government area in Rivers state, south Nigeria, as saying that he would "offer necessary assistances with the Chinese rescue group as well as the state government and the police in rescuing the Chinese kidnapees."

The official who refused to be identified said the local king also believed that the five abducted Chinese workers would also be released safely.

But the official also refused to tell the local king's name, explaining that it was better not to release the local king's name before he could help release the Chinese kidnapees successfully.

The Chinese rescue group headed by Wang Lei, political councilor of the Chinese embassy, arrived in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers state on Saturday afternoon.

Wang Lei told Xinhua on phone that the group made up of three Chinese embassy staff and two officials from the telecommunication companies involved would coordinate with the Rivers state government and the police in releasing the Chinese kidnapees safely as early as possible.