The Niger State Government has received 17 rescued kidnapped victims from across the state border with Kaduna State.
Presenting the victims to the Niger State Government on Thursday, 11 April 2025, at the State Police Headquarters in Minna, was the State Commissioner of Police, Abdullahi Adamu Elleman, in the presence of media and security personnel.
Receiving the victims on behalf of the Niger State Government, the State Deputy Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba, represented the State Governor, Hon. Muhammad Umaru Bago, in taking custody of the 17 victims allegedly kidnapped by bandits.
The Deputy Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba, disclosed that the rescue mission was a collaboration with the Kaduna State Government and the combined efforts of the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr Nuhu Ribadu, and the Niger State Police Command.
On behalf of the State Government, Comrade Yakubu Garba lauded the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reducing insecurity to its present low level, highlighting that significant progress has been made in the fight against insecurity and other related crimes that pose a threat to Nigerians.
The Deputy Governor stressed that the rescue mission was a humanitarian gesture by the Kaduna State Government, which included providing medical examinations for the victims to ensure they are fit to be reunited with their families.
He urged the families of the victims not to rush to take back their rescued relatives, noting that the victims would remain in the custody of the State Government to ensure their physical fitness.
The Deputy Governor acknowledged the dedication of the State Police Command, as well as other security agencies in the state, for their commitment to tackling criminal elements. He promised that the government would continue to prioritise security.
Speaking on the rescue mission, the State Police Commissioner, CP Abdullahi Adamu Elleman, noted that the operation was achieved through inter-agency collaboration and strategic intelligence methods as part of an anti-kidnapping approach, using non-kinetic measures to rescue the victims unharmed.
The Police Commissioner, however, warned and cautioned criminal elements to either repent or leave the state, as they would be arrested and prosecuted.
The rescued victims include 15 from one household and two from other residents in Kango and Wuloto communities of Kuchi Ward, Munya Local Government Area of Niger State.
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