The joint security team on Saturday night rescued several kidnapped persons abducted at the Zuma 1 area of Bwari Area Council on January 2.
This follows the relentless raids of the Federal Capital Territory by the Police Command Anti-Kidnapping squad in conjunction with troops of the Nigerian Army.
The FCT Police Command in a statement signed by SP Josephine Adeh said, “The operatives successfully rescued the Victims around Kajuru forest in Kaduna state at about 11:30 pm on Saturday 20th January 2024.
It could be recalled that suspected bandits on January 2nd and 3rd attacked the Zuma community in Bwari Area Council of the FCT in the early hours of that day injuring two policemen and kidnapping about 10 persons including a father, Mansoor Kadriyar and his six children, all girls. During the attack, the victims quickly alerted a middle-aged man identified as Alhaji who mobilized policemen to try and foil the kidnapping of the seven family members and others but he was shot by the bandits.
Alhaji (Abdulfatai Kadriyar) was later discovered to be a brother of Mansoor Kadriyar.
During the exchange of gunfire, two of the policemen were injured before the bandits made away with the victims.
Subsequently, the bandits demanded a ransom of N60million and killed the eldest daughter, Nabeeha owing to the delay in paying the ransom and later increased the ransom to N100million.
Also, an uncle to the girls, Kabiru Aminu, who disclosed the news of their release, posted a video on his X handle @kabiru_aminu, showing the sisters and their relatives jubilating.
“#Najeebahandhersisters are home right now, someone please wake me up!” he tweeted.
“#Najeebahandhersisters. These girls are strong,” he added in a follow-up tweet.
Another three persons had earlier been kidnapped by bandits in the early hours at Barangoni area also in Bwari area council after inflicting gunshot injury on a vigilante during the incident.
Although SOLACEBASE could not independently verify whether the girls were rescued by security operatives or were released after their family paid ransom.
However, an unconfirmed report revealed that over N65m was paid as ransom.
According to the statement, “CP Haruna Garba appreciated the Inspector General of Police, IGP Olukayode Egbetokun for the deployment of the newly commissioned Special Intervention Squad, which has given an uplift to the existing security architecture of the FCT.
Noting that “it has brewed public confidence, CP Garba reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining the robust security deployment made in the area and other parts of the Territory for the utmost maintenance of peace for all and sundry.
“The good people of FCT are hence encouraged to note the following emergency lines and promptly report suspicious activities; 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653, and 08028940883. PCB: 09022222352.”