The police in Niger State have seized a vehicle belonging to suspected terrorists and rescued 35 people they were said to have held hostage for about a year.
Confirming the development, spokesman of the police, Wasi’u Abiodun said the feat was achieved following reports that suspected terrorists had relocated to the area from Birnin-Gwari forest due to security forces’ clearance operations in the area.
According to Abiodun, from July 3 to 5, about twenty-four kidnap victims, including women and children who were abducted from different locations in the state, such as Pandogari, Madaka, Allawa, Sarkin-Pawa, even Taraba and other areas, were relocated to Yauri, Kebbi State.
He said police tactical teams stationed along Madaka-Makujeri road intercepted most of the victims in a vehicle driven by Yusuf Abdullahi of Birnin Gwari who was conveying them to Yauri, to hand them over to other members of the group, while others were dropped at Tegina to board another vehicle to Yauri.
The police spokesman said the driver was arrested while the victims were rescued and taken to a medical facility for attention before being reunited with their families.
Similarly on July 4 at about 4.30pm, other victims comprising five women and six children were intercepted in Agwara while attempting to cross the river to Yauri in Kebbi State.
The Divisional Police Officer, Agwara Division, took custody of them.
Two magazines and sixty rounds of live ammunition were recovered from them.
(Editor: Okechukwu Eze)
