Troops rescue 15 abducted victims in Zamfara
Rescued victims
HURIWA laments silence on abducted corps members
The Special Forces Troops of the Joint Task Force Northwest Operation HADARIN DAJI under the command of the General officer Commanding 8 Division Nigerian Army, yesterday, rescued over 15 kidnapped victims in the North West of Zamfara State.
It was gathered that this success was achieved in Kayan Boggo village in Bukkuyum Local Government Area, Zamfara State. Counter insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, understands that the troops immediately mobilised and established a blocking position at a possible route suspected to be used by the bandits.
According to him, contact was made and unspecified numbers of the bandits were naturalised, forcing them to flee and abandon the kidnapped victims.
“Military sources said that the victims were handed over to the district head of Gwashi to reunite the victims with their families.”
MEANWHILE, Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA), yesterday, lamented that President Bola Tinubu has maintained stoic silence, regarding the abduction of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members on their way to Zamfara State.
The 12 corps members from Akwa Ibom were headed for the Zamfara NYSC’s camp when they were kidnapped nearly a month later. Lamenting President Tinubu’s absence, National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said: “Whereas the president was quick to order his security chiefs at the weekend to ensure that the remaining Federal University Gusau in Zamfara State who are still being held as hostages by terrorists in Zamfara are swiftly rescued without harm, he has maintained stoic silence and hasn’t said anything regarding the corps members.
“Is President Tinubu not aware that for almost one month, nearly a dozen Corps members from Akwa Ibom headed for the Zamfara State were kidnapped by the terrorists operating in Zamfara State?
“And as soon as the President gave that order, the hostages were rescued magically, but the corps members are still being held.”
HURIWA recalled that a month ago, some suspected bandits had demanded N4 million as ransom to secure the release of one of the NYSC members abducted within the Zamfara State territory.
The bandits reportedly abducted eight members of the NYSC along a highway within Zamfara State on Friday.The recent graduates were said to have been travelling with an Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) bus from Uyo, Akwa Ibom to Sokoto State, to take part in the mandatory National Service when their vehicle was intercepted.
Emmanuel Etteh, the father of one of the victims, Glory Thomas, said the bandits called with their number to inform him about the abduction of his daughter, and asked him to pay N4 million to secure her release. The police command in Zamfara State has yet to comment on the abduction.
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