Confirmed: Dangote NOT Part of Bamako Hostages

Following the reports of gunmen abducting 170 guests (and employees) at the Radisson Blu in Mali, news went out that Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote was one of the hostages.

This has now been confirmed to be false.

Al Jazeera recounts the events leading up to the hostage situation thusly:  “about 10 gunmen arrived early in the morning and shot all the guards in front of the Radisson.”

The attackers were said to have taken over the US-owned hotel while reciting Quran verses. Casualties have already been reported as a witness narrated how he helped a wounded guard get to safety.

“I started hearing gunshots coming from the hotel,” 28-year old Ibrahim said.  “Soon after I saw one of the guards running out, injured… The security guard told me the shooters were so quick that he doesn’t even know how many came in.”

Dangote has updated his official Twitter account with the following message:

Rumour about me being held hostage is false. I was in Mali yesterday.Thank you for your concern. My prayers with those involved.

— Aliko Dangote (@AlikoDangote) November 20, 2015

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