A Chinese firm dealing in textile products in Lome, the Togolese capital, was looted late Wednesday by three armed thugs, who went away with 60,000 U. S. dollars and a sum of money in the local currency FCFA.

On one was hurt in the incident, according to the company employees.

They told Xinhua that the attack came at around 5 p.m., when a gangster broke into the company following an employee, who had gone out to dump waste. This employee tried to stop him before being threatened with a pistol. Shortly afterwards, the man was joined by two other thugs.

The three assailants speak English and were armed with two pistols, according to the sources. They attacked the employees of this firm and threatened them with pistols to open the company safe. They searched the safe and looted all the money before running away.

After the event, senior officials of the Chinese Embassy in Togo, the officials of the Association of Chinese Nationals in Togo and Chinese businessmen converged at the scene of the incident.

The Togolese police service has launched an investigation in the case.

The Association of Chinese Nationals in Togo has asked the authorities to immediately take appropriate and effective measures to guarantee their security and the safety of their property as such attacks have become frequent in the West African country.

The association has also called on the Chinese business people to be more vigilant and take security measures.