The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has handed over 58 rescued kidnapped victims, including 35 males and 23 females, among which is an infant, to the Kaduna State Government.
The rescued persons were kidnapped from their houses and farmlands in Gayam, Sabon Layi and Kwaga villages of Dan Musa Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, who was accompanied by the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, said no penny was paid for the individuals to be released but strictly coordinated work of intelligent and ground forces operations.
He said the military always deploys the kinetic and the non-kinetic approach to operations which require the cooperation of all Nigerians for the Armed Forces and other security agencies to succeed.
General Musa emphasized that a whole of society approach is vital to the success of the military and all Nigerians must take ownership of the operation.
According to the CDS, effective collaborations among the heads of security agencies have led to the success of the operations while appreciating the cooperation of the Kaduna State government, which led to the rescue of the kidnapped persons.
“The rescue was a joint effort, we’re able to do that through non-kinetic means of getting across and no penny was paid for these individuals to be released.
“I want Nigerians to understand that if we do not come together to work, it will make it extremely difficult for us to succeed. The success depends on all of us working together. It’s a whole-of-society approach.”
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To the individuals who want to sabotage the government efforts, General Christopher Musa warmed “we are going after those perpetrators, and they will not be let free, that I assure Nigerians, we will not leave any stone undone until every Nigerian that is in captivity is freed.”
The CDS also appreciated Nigerians for their support through the time of the burial of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, as the Armed forces continued to fight for what he believed in.
Speaking earlier, the National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, Major General Adamu Laka, the General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army, led a joint operation of security agencies on the 14th of Nov 24, which led to the rescue of the victims.
The kidnapping according to General Laka “preliminary investigation revealed that the victims were kidnapped by suspected armed bandits under the command of a notorious bandit called JANBROS who made the victims trekked for hundreds of Kilometre to the thick forest of Birnin Gwari.”
He stressed that the government ensured that the victims were stabilised for subsequent handing over to the Office of the National Security Adviser for rehabilitation and immediate medical checkups, 6 of the admitted victims recovered and were handed over to their respective families.
Speaking on behalf of the Kaduna State Government, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Sani Liman Kila who received the victims on behalf of the state government appreciated the President, Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, all the security agencies, and the governor of Kaduna State for their effort in rescuing the victims.
He called on religious leaders, the traditional institutions, and all Nigerians to support the security agencies, because security is everybody’s business.
“Please let’s team up and fight this menace” stated Liman Kila.
One of the rescued persons, Usaina Rahamanu, said she never thought she would ever be free after they took her and her children and shot her husband on the leg. She said they are heartless enough to ask for ransom that the whole family members combined cannot pay.
She appreciated the Nigerian government and prayed for the security agencies to succeed.
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