From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
No fewer than 58 people who were kidnapped by bandits in Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna State have been released.
The victims which included 35 males and 23 females, were kidnapped by armed bandits under the command of a notorious criminal known as Janbros from Gayam, Sabon Layi, and Kwaga villages in Dan Musa council area of Katsina State.
The victims were forced to trek hundreds of kilometres through the Birnin Gwari forest.
They were released at about 3 pm penultimate Thursday, November 14th, through the non-kinetic arrangement facilitated by the state Governor, Senator Uba Sani, in collaboration with the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).
Governor Sani, through his Chief of Staff, noted that “this is a significant operation, especially considering the surge in kidnappings in the area.”
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) the one mechanised division, led the Joint rescue mission, demonstrating Governor Sani’s administration commitment to tackling insecurity in Kaduna State using non kinetic approach in collaboration with security agencies .
Upon their release, the rescued victims, mainly children and women, were taken to the office of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu for debriefing after undergoing medical check up.
They were later handed over to the chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa who in turn handed them over to Governor Uba Sani who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Sani Kila .
In his remarks, Governor Sani thanked President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser and the Military for their unwavering support and untiring efforts towards tackling insecurity in Kaduna and the North West Zone
He said: “I just want to thank the president and commander in chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu, the NSA, , all the security agencies and most importantly the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani. He actually deserves accolades because he did a lot ensure the release of the victims. I want to also thank the religious leaders and traditional institution for their support, because security is everyone’s business. Let’s team up and fight this insecurity”.
Handing over the rescued victims to the the representative of Governor Uba Sani, the chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, said that no ransom was paid for their release.
He said that six among the victims sustained injuries and were treated upon their release.
“Six of them had serious case and were treated . They were all fed well, clothed properly before being presented here. And so we hand over to you and we say thank you to His Excellency”.
The CDS also stressed that every Nigerian has a role to play in ensuring security, saying “if we do not work together, it will be extremely difficult to succeed. It’s a whole-of-society approach”.
He also warned against sabotage by individuals attempting to undermine government efforts, stressing that security agencies are working tirelessly to ensure the safety of all Nigerians.
“Many of us have sacrificed weekends and holidays, working day and night to achieve these successes. We assure Nigerians that we will continue until every captive is freed and every Nigerian can move freely across the country,” he said.