The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has handed over 58 kidnapped victims rescued by security forces to the Kaduna State Government. The kidnap victims, consisting of 35 males, 23 females, and an infant, were abducted from their homes and farmlands in Gayam, Sabon Layi, and Kwaga villages of Dan Musa Local Government Area, Katsina State.
At the handover ceremony, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, revealed that no ransom was paid for the victims’ release. He credited the rescue to a well-coordinated intelligence operation and the collaboration of ground forces.
“The rescue was a joint effort, we’re able to do that through non-kinetic means of getting across and no penny was paid for these individuals to be released,” General Musa stated, calling for a “whole-of-society approach” to tackling insecurity. He also assured Nigerians that perpetrators of these crimes would face justice.
The rescue operation, conducted on November 14, 2024, was led by the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army as part of a joint effort by security agencies. The kidnap victims were abducted by armed bandits under the command of a notorious gang leader, known as “Janbros,” who forced them to trek hundreds of kilometres to the forests of Birnin Gwari.
Following their rescue, the victims received medical care and stabilisation. Six of the victims were later reunited with their families.
Speaking on behalf of the Kaduna State Government, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Sani Liman Kila, expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, the NSA, security agencies, and the Kaduna State Governor for their coordinated efforts. He called for continued collaboration between religious leaders, traditional institutions, and citizens to combat insecurity.
One of the victims, Usaina Rahamanu, recounted her ordeal, describing the bandits as heartless. She explained how they took her and her children and shot her husband in the leg, then demanded a ransom they couldn’t afford.
