ABUJA, NIGERIA — In a major breakthrough against the persistent threat of kidnapping for ransom, the Nigeria Police Force has successfully rescued five kidnapped victims and neutralized at least five suspected kidnappers in coordinated operations across Kebbi and Abia states. The Force also recovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition from the criminal hideouts.
In Kebbi State, police operatives working with other security agencies and local vigilantes, rescued three victims who had been abducted from Sangara Village, Shanga Local Government Area, on July 27. The victims, identified as Muhammad Nasamu Namata, 25; Gide Namata, 20; and Hamidu Alhaji Namani, 35, were rescued unharmed after security forces engaged their abductors in a fierce gun battle in the Shanga Hills, forcing the criminals to flee with gunshot wounds.
In a separate operation in Kebbi on August 15, police on routine patrol in the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area rescued two additional victims, Tukur Bello, 26, and Isyaka Abubakar, 25. The duo had been abducted earlier in the month while grazing their cattle in Zamfara State and were reunited with their families shortly after their rescue.
Meanwhile, in Abia State, police operatives, acting on credible intelligence, raided a notorious kidnappers’ den at Umuiku Obete Village in Ukwa West Local Government Area. The gang, which had been terrorizing residents and commuters along Umuozo Village and Uratta Road, engaged the police in a shootout. The superior firepower of the police proved decisive, resulting in the neutralization of five members of the notorious gang.
A thorough search of the Abia hideout led to the recovery of a significant arsenal, including six AK-47 rifles, 335 rounds of live ammunition, 14 magazines, five handsets, three cutlasses, five operational jackets, an axe, and a double-barreled long gun.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has commended the officers for their bravery and commitment to the ongoing fight against crime. He reiterated the Force’s resolve to protect the lives and property of Nigerians and urged the public to continue providing credible intelligence to security agencies.
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