Security
After 1yr in captivity, Police rescues 35 kidnap victims in Niger
By Daniel Ebi, Minna
After one year in the den of kidnappers, thirty five victims kidnapped from various communities across Niger State and some Northern states have been safely rescued.
Niger State Police Command Spokesman, Superintendent of Police, SP Wasiu Abiodun disclosed this in a release on the Command crime bulletin.
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He ascribed the successful operation to Police and other security agencies’ pressure on ongoing onslaught against forest harboring kidnappers in the northern part of the state.
“Following the reports of suspected bandits relocation from Birnin-Gwari forest due to security forces clearance operations in the area,
and from 3rd-5th July, 2025
“About twenty-four kidnapped victims including women and children who were kidnapped over a year from different locations in the State such as Pandogari, Madaka, Allawa, Sarkin-Pawa, even Taraba and other areas were relocating to Yauri, Kebbi State”
He disclosed that, while the kidnappers and bandits were attempting to relocate their victims, the police tactical teams engaged them and rescued some of the victims.
“However, Police tactical teams stationed along Madaka-Makujeri road intercepted most of the victims in a vehicle driven by Yusuf Abdullahi of B/Gwari
” He 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.
“However, the driver was arrested, the victims were rescued and taken to a medical facility for attention before being reunited with their families”
The Command assured the public that Investigation is ongoing with a view to rescue other victims from the hoodlums and to also effect arrest.
Similarly, on 4th July, 2025 at about 4.30pm, other victims who were five women and six children were intercepted in Agwara during an attempt to cross the river to Yauri, Kebbi State.
“DPO Agwara Div took custody of them, two magazines and sixty rounds of live ammunition were recovered. They were transferred to State Police Headquarters, Minna for further investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, commended the efforts of the joint security teams for the rescue and urged members of the public to provide actionable information to the security agencies towards ensuring that other victims are rescued successfully.
