Troops of the Joint Task Force Northwest Operation Hadarin Daji, have foiled two kidnap attempts in their areas of responsibility, between September 11 and September 15, 2023.
They have also rescued seventeen hostages and recovered large number of rustled cattle in the ongoing operation in Zamfara State, Northwest Nigeria.
A statement by Captain Yahaya Ibrahim, the Force Information Officer, noted that on September 14, 2023, the Joint Troops of Operation Haradin Daji, OPHD, in Zamfara State, while acting on a distress call, thwarted a kidnap attempt, rescued two victims and the commercial vehicle carrying foodstuff along Corner Jollof in Shinkafi Local Government Area of the state.
He added that ground troops deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Danjigba, while on a routine patrol, intercepted and rescued three kidnap victims.
According to him, preliminary investigation revealed that the victims were abducted from their farmlands and held captive at Dangajeru Forest, where they successfully escaped, due to the intensified clearance operation by the troops within the area.
In another development, on September 13, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji in Zamfara State intercepted and rescued eight kidnap victims in the Baggega community.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the victims had been in captivity for 8 weeks and were able to escape from Gando Forest due to the recent offensive operation and constant fighting patrols along the fringes of the forest.
Also on September 12, acting on intelligence reports on the movement of a large number of rustled animals by bandits around Tsamiyar Gezozi in Anka LGA of Zamfara State, troops of Operation Haradin Daji (OPHD) deployed at Anka, swung into action along the crossing route and engaged the bandits with superior fire, which forced the bandits to flee and abandoned over 130 rustled animals.
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The recovered animals were handed over to the appropriate authority on recovered rustled animals to deliver to their rightful owners.
Captain Ibrahim further said that on September 11, 2023, following a distress call on the kidnapping of persons by bandits at Bunkasau Village in Bukkuyum LGA of Zamfara State, the troops swiftly mobilised to the village with superior firepower and forced the bandits to abandon the victims and fled in disarray.
Four male victims were rescued unhurt.
All rescued kidnap victims have been reunited with their families, while the recovered cattle were handed over to the Zamfara State Committee on Recovered Cattle, to be delivered to their rightful owners.
The Commander of Operation Haradin Daji, OPHD, and the General Officer Commanding, GOC, 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Sokoto, Major General Godwin Mutkut, has commended the troops for their relentless efforts, and commitment to rescue the victims.
He charged the troops not to rest on their oars and to be on the offensive, to continuously deny the criminals freedom of action.
General Mutkut assured the people of the troops’ continuous patrols in its areas of responsibility, even as he further called on the people to continuously provide timely information to the troops.
(Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie)
