The Kaduna State Police Command has rescued 75 people, including men, women and children, who were reportedly abducted by armed gunmen near a village in the Birnin Gwari area of the state.
The victims were travelling in commercial buses when the attackers, armed with AK-47 rifles and other weapons, reportedly intercepted them and forced them into a nearby forest, where they were held inside a cave.
According to the police, the rescue operation followed a tip-off received from a transport workers’ union on Wednesday. The command immediately deployed officers to the area to locate the victims.
Upon sighting the approaching security team, the kidnappers reportedly fled into the surrounding forest, abandoning the victims.
All 75 abducted persons were subsequently rescued safely without sustaining injuries.
The Commissioner of Police commended the transport workers’ union for providing timely information, noting that the alert enabled security personnel to respond quickly and prevent possible harm to the victims.
He also praised the officers involved in the operation for their swift response.
The police commissioner, however, urged residents to avoid taking the law into their own hands, warning that such actions could worsen security situations and expose innocent people to danger.
He encouraged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities or movements to the police and other security agencies.
Birnin Gwari has continued to face security challenges, with kidnappers and armed criminal groups frequently targeting travellers along isolated roads in the area.
The location’s connection to major routes linking different parts of the country has also made surrounding forests vulnerable to criminal groups operating in the region.