The Kaduna State Special Forces of the Nigerian Air Force reportedly freed seven kidnapped victims on Monday night during a night patrol in the Birnin Gwari region of the state.
Five victims who had been kidnapped in the Bungudu Local Government Area were freed by Operation Hadarin Daji troops in Zamfara State, who had just defeated a large number of bandits.
When they saw NAF personnel on patrol, the kidnappers fled and abandoned their captives, according to Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, the NAF’s director of public relations and information.
The abductees included a male and six females, according to Gabkwet.
“The female victims, on interrogation, revealed that they were kidnapped from Paikoro in Niger State while the lone male victim stated that he was picked up against his will from Rijau in Niger State.
“On sighting the troops, the terrorists abandoned their victims and fled into a nearby forest,” the army spokesperson said.
Except for the male victim, he claimed, “who is still being observed,” the rescued victims were subsequently taken to the NAF medical facility at Birnin Gwari and then released.
According to a soldier in Zamfara who spoke to our correspondent under the condition of anonymity, when the bandits were abducting passengers along the Tsafe-Gusau road last Sunday, the troops responded to a distress call.
He said, “We received phone calls that the bandits had blocked Tsafe-Gusau Road between Tazame and Tabbani villages under Bungudu Local Government Area.
“We quickly moved to the scene and on arrival, we exchanged fire with the bandits, during which scores of them were neutralised.
‘Due to superior firepower and tactical abilities, we forced the bandits to flee and abandoned the kidnapped victims.”
