No fewer than 58 kidnapped victims in Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna State, previously in bandits' captivity, regained freedom due to the non-kinetic approach of Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, in collaboration with the National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Christopher Musa.
The victims included 35 males and 23 females. They were kidnapped by armed bandits under the command of a notorious criminal known as Janbros from Gayam, Sabon Layi, and Kwaga villages in the Dan Musa council area of Katsina State, and were forced to trek hundreds of kilometres through the Birnin Gwari forest.
They were released at about 3 pm on Thursday, November 14th, through the non-kinetic arrangement facilitated by Governor Uba Sani in collaboration with the office of the National Security Adviser.
"This is a significant operation, especially considering the surge in kidnappings in the area," journalists were told.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) One Mechanised Division led the joint rescue mission, demonstrating Sani's administration's commitment to tackling insecurity in Kaduna State using the non-kinetic approach in collaboration with security agencies.
"Upon their release, the rescued victims, mainly children and women, were taken to the office of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, for debriefing after having undergone medical check up. They were later handed over to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa who in turn handed them over to Governor Uba Sani who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Sani Kila", a source said.
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Governor Sani, in his remarks, thanked President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser and the Military for their unwavering support and untiring efforts towards tackling insecurity in Kaduna and the North-West Zone.
" I just want to thank the president and commander in chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu, the NSA, , all the security agencies and most importantly the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani. He actually deserves accolades because he did a lot to ensure the release of the victims. I want to also thank the religious leaders and traditional institutions for their support because security is everyone's business. Let's team up and fight this insecurity".
While handing over the rescued victims to the representative of Governor Sani, the CDS, General Christopher Musa, said that no ransom was paid for their release.
"Many of us have sacrificed weekends and holidays, working day and night to achieve these successes."
We assure Nigerians that we will continue until every captive is freed and every Nigerian can move freely across the country," Musa said.
He, however, said that six of the victims sustained injuries and were treated upon their release.
"Six of them had serious cases and were treated. They were all fed well, and clothes properly before being presented here. And so we hand over to you and we say thank you to His Excellency.
The CDS also stressed that every Nigerian has a role to play in ensuring security, saying "If we do not work together, it will be extremely difficult to succeed. It's a whole-of-society approach".
He also warned against sabotage by individuals attempting to undermine government efforts, adding that security agencies are working tirelessly to ensure the safety of all Nigerians.
