Five Jharkhand Workers, Who Were Abducted By Militants In Nigeria, Return To India After Eight Months

Last Updated:January 10, 2026, 13:51 IST

Five Jharkhand workers abducted by militants in Niger in April 2025 have been released. They landed in Mumbai. Their safe return was coordinated by Jharkhand, MEA, and KPTL.

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The five workers from Jharkhand who were abducted last year by a militant group in Niger, a country in West Africa, have been released safely, the state government said on Friday. The workers have arrived in Mumbai and efforts were underway to bring them back to their state.

Their safe return to India followed sustained coordination between the Jharkhand government, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Indian Embassy in Niamey and their employer.

The workers, identified as Sanjay Mahto, Raju Mahto, Chandrika Mahto, Faljit Mahto and Uttam Mahto, all residents of Bagodar in Giridih district, were kidnapped in April 2025 while working for Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited (KPTL) in Niger.

The Jharkhand State Migrant Control Room (SMCR) confirmed that all five are safe, in touch with officials. They are expected to return home on January 14.

“Currently, all five are in Mumbai, undergoing mandatory health checks and completing necessary government and legal formalities and will be returning to their respective homes on January 14," PTI quoted Shikha Lakra, team leader of SMCR (which functions under Jharkhand’s labour department), as saying.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who intervened soon after the abduction, had directed the SMCR to coordinate closely with the MEA, the Protector of Emigrants, the Indian Embassy and the company to ensure their safe release and return.

Abduction Amid Firing

The abduction occurred on April 25, 2025, when armed militants opened fire near a KPTL project site as Indian and local workers were returning from lunch. As workers tried to escape in a company vehicle, several were intercepted by attackers moving on motorcycles. Survivors later reported that gunfire continued for nearly half an hour. Five Indian workers from Jharkhand and one local resident were taken hostage in what was later confirmed to be part of a broader militant operation in the region, The Indian Express reported.

During their captivity, the Jharkhand government said it ensured social security support for the workers’ families through the Giridih district administration. Benefits included ration cards, Ayushman Bharat health coverage, MGNREGA job cards, pensions, housing assistance, Ujjwala connections, Jal Jeevan Mission tap water connections and e-Shram registration. KPTL was also directed to continue depositing salaries into the workers’ bank accounts.

The kidnapping had caused widespread concern among Indian workers at the site, with many seeking to return home amid heightened security fears.

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