Zamfara state police command has disclosed to the public that it has carried out a successful security operation in the state which saw about 100 kidnapped victims regaining their freedom from bandits at Kabaro forest in Maru Local Government Area (LGA) of the state. Police spokesperson, Muhammad Shehu, who made this disclosure a statement in Gusau, the state capital, on Tuesday stated that the victims, mostly women, and children who were kidnapped on June 8 would have to undergo medical checks before being reunited with their families
According to Shehu, the rescue was done in collaboration with the state Ministry for Security and Home Affairs. “The Zamfara state police in collaboration with the state ministry for security and home affairs have successfully secured the unconditional release of one hundred kidnapped victims who were abducted from Manawa village of Mutunji district in Dansadau Emirate of Maru local government area of the State.
“on 8th June 2021, some recalcitrant bandits stormed Manawa village in Mutunji District of Dansadau Emirate in Maru LGA on June 8 and abducted 100 villagers including nursing mothers, males and children.
“The victims who were in the custody of their abductors for 42 days, were released without ransom and will be medically checked and debriefed before being reunited with their respective families.
“The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Hussaini Rabiu, has warned the recalcitrant bandits to renounce criminalities and embrace peace or face the full wrath of the law. He has assured of sustenance of kinetic and non-kinetic approach to successfully end the menace of kidnapping in the state,” he said.
Shehu added: “The command uses this medium to call on the good people of the state to support the police and other security agencies with credible information about the hideout, movements and other activities of criminal elements,” he said.
However, several media sources are of the opinion that 24 other people were still to be evacuated from the forest due to their health condition as many were wounded, and also that the bandits agreed to release the kidnapped villagers after the police and state authorities “assured them no action would be taken against them for the kidnap”.