Troops rescue 18 female kidnapped victims in Katsina forests
Troops of the Nigerian Army on Wednesday succeeded in rescuing 18 female kidnapped victims from their captors and handed them over to the Katsina State Government.
The Brigade Commander, 17 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Katsina, Brig.- Gen. Oluremi Fadairo, said that the soldiers took a rescue operation to the bandits’ enclaves at Yantumaki and Dan-Ali forests, successfully engaged the terrorists in a gun battle and rescued the victims.
Fadairo who handed over the victims to the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Nasiru Mu’azu, stressed the readiness of the Nigerian Army to continue to work for the restoration of permanent peace in the state.
The commander charged personnel under the Brigade to sustain ongoing operations against criminals in their area of responsibility.
Responding, Mu’azu restated the maximum commitment of the government to restore permanent peace in the state.
Mu’azu explained that Gov. Dikko Radda has invested hugely in the security sector and “the investments have been yielding positive results.”
The commissioner commended the military and other security agencies for their courage and commitment to restore peace in the state, and advised bandits, kidnappers and other criminals to repent or be eliminated.
Mu’azu assured that the over 50 women kidnapped on their way to a wedding ceremony in Sabuwa Local Government would be rescued, and advised residents of areas experiencing security challenges to avoid night travels for their safety.
Mu’azu urged people of the state to support security agencies with information about criminals and their hideouts.
The commissioner later presented N100,000 to each of the rescued victims on behalf of the state governor.
The 18 female victims were kidnapped at different times from Karaduwa, Sayaya, Dangani and Wawarkaza communities of Matazu, Musawa and Kankara Local Government Areas.
One of the victims, Firdausi Bishir, a 13-year-old JSS II student, said that she was abducted from Sayaya and had spent 91 days at the bandits’ den.