Bauchi security agencies, vigilantes rescue 69 victims from kidnappers

Few weeks after he went round to assess the activities of kidnappers and other criminal elements ravaging the state which necessitated a directive to go after them, Bauchi State Government is making headway in the fight as not fewer than 69 abductees have been saved from dens of kidnappers across the state. 

This is according to the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs,  Abdulrazaq Nuhu Zaki, who spoke to journalists on Thursday. 

He explained that the feat was achieved by the combined efforts of security agencies and vigilantes who stormed dens of the bandits in various Bauchi forests rescuing the victims. 

Nuhu Zaki added that plans have been intensified through patrols on the routes followed by the bandits in order to track them down, rescue the victims and possibly arrest the bandits. 

The commissioner further stated there is infiltration of the forests by the bandits and kidnappers in Toro, Alkaleri, Tafawa Balewa, and Ningi local government areas of the State as confirmed by various sources. 

He said that, “the State Governor Senator Bala Mohammed led the battle himself. He visited the affected areas and commiserated with the people as well as encouraged them to resist the kidnappers, 

The governor, according to the commissioner, equally boosted the morals of the Council Chairmen, vigilantes, traditional rulers, security personnel and all Stakeholders in the fight against insecurity in the state. 

“We mobilised ourselves, security personnel and vigilantes and stormed the forests, fearlessly and confronted the bandits, they fled but our men continued to advance towards them. 

“So they started running, the council chairmen reported to us that the total number of people abducted by the kidnappers is 69 and all of them were rescued, many of them were brought and kept in Bauchi by their abductors. We have released them and allowed them to go to their respective homes and families.” 

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The commissioner said the governor discussed with his Taraba and Plateau State counterparts in order to collaborate to intensify patrols along the routes followed by the bandits in their borders to frustrate their movements.

Nuhu Zaki who commended the vigilantes, security agencies and the affected communities said that the dislodgement of the bandits would bring a big relief to people that have been terrorized by the bandits. 

He said that, “Recently, we had strangers that came to the State with camels, and cows, they are in Lame–Burra forest, governments sent the security personnel and government officials to hear from them their mission in the state, if they are good people they will be allowed to stay, but if they are bad people or criminals, they will be sent away.”

Nuhu Zaki further said that because of the exemplary leadership qualities being exhibited by the Governor through the execution of viable projects that touched the lives of the people, the electorates in Bauchi will vote for him again in 2023 general election.

He said that the governor will continue to engage with states that share borders with it including Taraba , Gombe, Yobe, Plateau, Jigawa, Kano and Kaduna States in the efforts to keep the bandits out of business.

It will be recalled that kidnappers had recently infiltrated some local government areas in Bauchi state abducting innocent citizens and killing a few in the process, a development that made the governor sign into law a bill for the establishment of local vigilante groups to collaborate with regular security agencies.