Police Intercept Terrorists’ Vehicle, Rescue 35 Abducted Victims in Niger State

Police in Niger State say they have successfully intercepted a terrorists’ vehicle and rescued 35 abducted victims said to have been taken hostage for about one year.

Confirming the development, the spokesman of the Police, Superintendent Wasi’u Abiodun, said the feat was achieved following the reports of suspected terrorists’ relocation from Birnin-Gwari forest due to security forces’ clearance operations in the area.

According to him, from July 3 to 5, about twenty-four kidnapped victims, including women and children who were abducted over a year from different locations in the State, such as Pandogari, Madaka, Allawa, Sarkin-Pawa, even Taraba and other areas, were relocated to Yauri, Kebbi State.

However, Abiodun said the 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 driver was arrested while the victims were rescued and taken to a medical facility for attention before being reunited with their families. 

Investigation is, however, ongoing to rescue other victims from the hoodlums and to also effect an arrest.

It was also gathered that similarly, on July 4  at about 4.30pm, other victims comprising five women and six children were intercepted in Agwara during an attempt to cross the river to Yauri, Kebbi State. 

The Divisional Police Officer, Agwara Division, took custody of them, two magazines and sixty rounds of live ammunition were recovered. 

The Commissioner of Police, CP Adamu Elleman, has since commended the efforts of the joint security teams for such rescue urging members of the public to provide actionable information to the security agencies towards ensuring that other victims are rescued successfully.