The Nigeria Police has explained how its Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Anti-Kidnapping squad in conjunction with troops of the Nigerian Army on Saturday night rescued several kidnapped persons abducted at the Zuma 1 area of Bwari Area Council on January 2.
About 23 persons were abducted on January 2, 2024, in the Zuma 1 area of Kawu, in the Bwari Area Council of Abuja.
However, the Police on Sunday confirmed that all the victims, including the five sisters whose abduction had raised nationwide concerns, were rescued at about 11 pm on Saturday, and had since been reunited with their families.
The bandits terrorising the FCT and neighbouring States of Kaduna, Nasarawa and Niger were camped in the Kajuru forest in the Southern Kaduna area of Kaduna State.
The FCT Police Command, in a statement by its Spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (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.
“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.
“It has brewed public confidence, CP Garba reiterated the Commands 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.”
The terror bandits had on January 2nd and 3rd attacked Zuma community in Bwari Area Council of the FCT in the early hours of the morning, 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. They later increased the ransom to N100million.
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.