Zamfara police command rescues 97 kidnapped victims

Zamfara State police command says its joint tactical operatives have rescued 97 kidnapped victims, including pregnant women and some children.

Addressing newsmen at the State Police command in Gusau, the State capital, the commissioner of police, Mr. Ayuba Elkanah said it was as a result of an extensive pressure mounted in an ongoing military operation around the camp of a notorious bandits’ kingpin, known as Bello Turji that covers Shinkafi, Zurmi and Birnin Magaji Local Government Areas.

According to him, Police Tactical operatives deployed at Shinkafi axis received an intelligence report that some kidnapped victims were seen stranded in the bush.

He said that the Police operatives, in collaboration with genuine repentant bandits and vigilante, swung into action and rescued sixty-eight victims from the forest.

“The victims were in captivity for over three months and they include 33 male adults, 7 male children, 3 female children and 25 women including pregnant/nursing mothers respectively. The victims are from Magarya, Maradun, Gusau of Zamfara State and Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State,” he said.

Continuing, the commissioner explained that Police Tactical operatives deployed to Tsafe axis acted on intelligence report and stormed Kunchin Kalgo forest in Tsafe Local Government Area and rescued twenty-nine kidnapped victims, unconditionally.

Mr. Elkanah further stated that the victims were abducted for over 60 days from three villages, namely: Adarawa, Gana and Bayawuri in Rijiya district of Gusau Local Government Area, stressing that they include 25 female, among whom are pregnant, nursing mothers and four male children, which he said were abducted by a bandits’ kingpin, Ado Aleru.

“All the rescued victims are currently receiving medical treatment from the joint medical teams of the State Government and the Police. They will be debriefed, handed over to the State Government before being reunited with their families,” he stated.