INSURGENCY: 35 Kidnapped Victims Rescued in Niger State

  By Awwal Umar, Kontagora In a significant breakthrough against banditry and insurgency, security operatives in Niger State have rescued 35...

 

By Awwal Umar, Kontagora

In a significant breakthrough against banditry and insurgency, security operatives in Niger State have rescued 35 kidnapped victims, including women and children, from various parts of the state and beyond.

The victims, who had been held captive for over a year, were reportedly being relocated by suspected bandits from the Birnin-Gwari forest in Kaduna State to Yauri in Kebbi State. The relocation is believed to have been triggered by recent clearance operations by security forces in the area.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Niger State Command, SP W. A. Abiodun, police tactical teams stationed along the Madaka–Makujeri road intercepted a vehicle transporting some of the victims. The driver, identified as Yusuf Abdullahi of Birnin Gwari, was en route to Yauri to allegedly hand the victims over to other members of the criminal network. Others were reportedly dropped at Tegina to board another vehicle to Yauri.

The victims were immediately rescued and taken to a medical facility for examination and care before being reunited with their families. The driver is currently in custody as investigations continue, with efforts underway to rescue more victims and apprehend additional suspects.

In a related operation on July 4, 2025, at about 4:30 p.m., another group comprising five women and six children was intercepted in Agwara while attempting to cross a river into Kebbi State. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Agwara Division took custody of the victims. Two magazines and 60 rounds of live ammunition were recovered during the operation. The victims and recovered items have since been transferred to the State Police Headquarters in Minna for further investigation.

Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, mnips, commended the efforts of the joint security teams and praised their commitment to securing lives and property in the state. He also urged residents to provide credible and actionable intelligence to assist security agencies in rescuing remaining victims and dismantling criminal networks.