Troops have rescued 15 victims in the ongoing security clearance operation against terrorists in Gurara and Paikoro local government areas of Niger state.
The state Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs, Emmanuel Umar, stated this in a statement issued in Minna at the weekend.
He said, “On 30/12/2022 at about 1300hrs, following a tip off that some roving bandits were sighted around Bonu, Gwalu, and Chimbi areas of Gurara and Paikoro LGAs, a joint security forces raided the areas, and during the raid, the criminals were routed and engaged in a gun battle.”
He explained that while 13 of the victims were rescued by the joint security forces in Gurara local government area, others got rescued in Paikoro local government of the state.
According to him, “In the course of this clearance operation, majority of the hoodlums scampered for safety, while some of them escaped with bullet injuries and thirteen (13) kidnapped victims, that were abducted from different locations and held captives were abandoned by their abductors and rescued by security forces in Gurara LGA of Niger State.”
He listed the names of the recued people as; Ramatu Usman, 35; Jamila Jafaru, 15; Fatima Usman, 30; Hassana Usman, Salamatu Bio, Suleman Usman, Bayi Mohammed, and Awwalu Shagari, all kidnapped from Maje Daji via Dobi Gwagwalada area council of the FCT.
Others, according to him, included Fauziya Musa, Nazifa Ibrahim, Mansura Musa, Wasila Musa, all kidnapped from Gwalu village via Kafin-koro in Paikoro LGA of Niger state.
He said that all victims were taken to a government medical facility for medical checks adding that they have been reunited with their families.
Meanwhile, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has expressed his admiration on the gallantry shown by security forces in the fight against bandits in the state, urging them not to relent on the effort to rid the state of bandits and terrorists.
In a new year message at the weekend, the governor expressed the confidence that although the outgoing year was tough in terms of security and economic challenges, citizens should remain hopeful because the challenges are surmountable.
“I want to acknowledge the declining banditry activities across the troubled parts of the state due to the gallantry of the Armed Forces and other security agencies. I commend the security agencies for the sustained fight against the menace of banditry and wanton kidnappings that bedeviled the state,” he said.
