Aliko Dangote said to be one of 170 hostages held hostage by Islamic gunmen in Mali

AFRICA'S richest man Alhaji Aliko Dangote is reportedly being held hostage by gunmen in Mali after armed attackers stormed the five-star Radisson Blu Hotel in the Malian capital Bamako and took hostages.

 

Early this morning, the gunmen, thought to be Islamic militants, stormed the hotel chanting Allahu Akbar and took its 170 guests hostage. Local business owner Garba Konate said that  a group of about 10 attackers showed up outside the hotel and seized it.

A hotel spokesman said: "We are aware of the hostage-taking that is ongoing at the property today. As per our information, two persons have locked in 140 guests and 30 employees."

 

Apparently, Mali's special forces have launched an assault on the hotel with local television reporting the presence of foreign forces on the security cordon outside it. These are believed to include the United Nations forces in the country made up of multiple nationalities including French and American soldiers.

 

Three of the seven Turkish airlines staff taken hostage have also escaped, according to reports. There are about 7,000 French citizens living in Mali and it is expected that France will act robustly to the development in the wake of the recent Paris bombing.