Nigeria: Govt to Rehabilitate Rescued Abuja Kidnapped Victims - Minister

23 January 2024

"The ministry will closely monitor their recovery and will be there for them immediately they leave this facility and commence full rehabilitation, which includes the engagement of a psychologist."

The federal government is committed to providing comprehensive rehabilitation for the four girls rescued from the Al-Kadriyar family after enduring two weeks in the kidnappers' den.

Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, made this known on Monday after a visit to the rescued girls at a facility where they are undergoing medical treatment.

"The ministry will closely monitor their recovery and will be there for them immediately they leave this facility and commence full rehabilitation which includes engagement of a psychologist.

"This is due to the trauma they must have been through during the period in the kidnappers' custody," she said.

She solicited that the girls be moved from their present school to another safer environment, while another should undergo her National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) at the ministry.

While commending the army, police and other security agencies for their collaboration in the release of the girls, she expressed concern over incessant cases of kidnapping.

"President Bola Tinubu is deeply worried about this trend of kidnapping and is working assiduously towards addressing the situation.

"After this visit, I will update the president and first lady about the condition of these girls" she added.

The minister presented food beverages, soap, noodles and sanitary items to the girls as part of the preparatory plans towards their rehabilitation after leaving the facility.

Also speaking, Mr Al-Kadriyar Monsoor, father of the girls, expressed appreciation to the government and security agencies for their efforts.

Mr Monsoor urged the federal government to ensure a stronger synergy among the various security agencies as part of measures to improve the nation's security architecture.

He also harped on the need for robust machinery to be put in place at the grassroots through coordinated community-based intelligence sharing to make the work easier for security agencies.

"Bwari is bordered by four states; Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna. This makes the area porous to any form of invasion. Government should improve on community-based intelligence and communication to make lives safer at the grassroots level of our country," he said.

It will be recalled that the girls were abducted within their residence at the Zuma 1 area of Bwari Area Council on 2 January.

However, the failure of the family to meet their demand within a deadline issued by the kidnappers led to the killing of one of the girls, Nabeeha.

According to police sources, they were rescued by the FCT Anti-Kidnapping squad in a concerted effort with troops of the Nigerian Army around the Kajuru forest in Kaduna State on Saturday.

(NAN)

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