Nigeria military rescues 4 Chinese nationals from pirates

WARRI, Nigeria – A Nigerian military official says four abducted Chinese nationals have been rescued after a gun battle with sea pirates.

Army spokesman Maj. 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.

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.