Police rescue 35 kidnapped victims in Niger State

The Niger State Police Command has rescued 35 kidnapped people, including women and children, from suspected bandits.

According to the police spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the victims were being moved to Yauri in Kebbi State when the police stopped them. They came from different parts of Niger State such as Pandogari, Madaka, Allawa, and Sarkin-Pawa, as well as Taraba State.

In a statement on Sunday, SP Abiodun said that between July 3 and 5, police teams along the Madaka–Makujeri road stopped a vehicle driven by Yusuf Abdullahi from Birnin Gwari. He was taking 24 kidnapped victims to Yauri to hand them over to other members of the gang. Some victims had already been dropped in Tegina to continue the journey in another vehicle.

The driver was arrested, and the victims were taken to hospital for medical care.

SP Abiodun also said that on July 4 around 4:30 pm, another group of five women and six children was stopped in Agwara while they were trying to cross a river into Yauri. The Divisional Police Officer in Agwara took care of them. During the rescue, the police found two gun magazines and sixty bullets.

He added that investigations are still ongoing to rescue more victims and arrest other suspects.

The Commissioner of Police in Niger State, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, praised the joint security teams for rescuing the victims and asked the public to give useful information to help rescue others.