Police rescue 187 kidnap victims in Zamfara

Officers and men of Zamfara State Police Command have rescued 187 kidnapped victims who have been feeding on grasses in bandits’ den for 52 days due to lack of food. The victims, who were kidnapped in different parts of the state were reportedly left with no food by the bandits and they resorted to eating grasses in order to survive.

One of the victims, who gave her name as Iklima Murtala, told our reporter that 17 persons allegedly died as a result of starvation.

“When they took us to their place, they gave us food for only a few days and later stopped supplying the food. We were left with no option but to begin eating some eatable grasses in order to survive. Seventeen of us died and even when we were brought to Gusau two people also died.

Briefing newsmen, the Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Muhammad Shehu, said “Following the implementation of the new security measures by the Zamfara state government, the police, and other security agencies have been carrying out assaults on identified bandits locations in different parts of the state, with a view to ridding the state of all recalcitrant bandits and other criminal elements.

“Today 7th October 2021, police tactical operatives, in a joint operation at Tsibiri forest in Maradun local government area of the state, succeeded in the unconditional rescue of 187  victims abducted in Rini, Gora, Sabon Birni and Shinkafi communities in Bakura Maradun and Shinkafi LGAs respectively.

“The abducted victims, who had spent many weeks in captivity, were unconditionally rescued following an extensive search and rescue operations that lasted for hours”, Shehu said.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Ayuba Elkanah, while handing over the rescued victims to Gov. Bello Matawalle, said the new security measures in the state have been yielding tremendous results, as it has led to the successful rescue of hundreds of abducted victims.

Receiving the victims on behalf of the government, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Kabiru Balarabe, said, “The state government will continue to put pressure on the bandits until they finally give up.”