Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has welcomed the release of two Kaduna-based journalists who were abducted from their homes in the outskirts of Kaduna last weekend.
In a press release by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister, Rabiu Ibrahim, it was stated that the minister received the journalists, AbdulGafar Alabelewe of The Nation newspapers and AbdulRaheem Aodu of Blueprint newspapers, from the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. The minister commended the security agencies for the speedy recovery of the victims.
The two journalists were released along with Mr. Alabelewe’s wife and two children.
Mohammed expressed sympathy to the two families and gratitude for the efforts made. “We are most grateful for what you have done. We are aware that this is part of your ongoing effort to ensure that all kidnapped victims are rescued alive and reunited with their families.”
“I want to urge Nigerians to keep faith with the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and our security agencies. The security agencies, under the coordination of the NSA, are working tirelessly to ensure that all those who have been taken into unlawful custody are freed without paying any ransom,” he said.
Earlier, the NSA noted that the five victims were rescued following a combined effort by security agencies, which led to a swift search and rescue operation.
Responding, one of the rescued victims, Mr. Alabelewe, thanked the NSA and his team for their swift intervention. “The rescue mission that brought us out of the bush yesterday gave us hope in our country and confidence to believe that the government is serious about tackling this problem of kidnapping. I never thought that within a week of our kidnapping we could get out.”
“We are grateful that the government swung into action and ensured that we were released,” he said.