Banditry: Seven pregnant women, 35 children, others rescued in Zamfara

The Zamfara State Police Command has confirmed that 97 kidnapped victims, including 7 pregnant women, 19 babies and 16 children have been rescued.

The State’s Commissioner of Police (CP) Ayuba N. Elkana confirmed this at a press conference Tuesday, in Gusau, the State’s capital.

The CP clarified further saying 19 of 2-7 months old babies and 16 of 2-7yrs old children were rescued unconditionally.

The CP who also specified that 68 victims were rescued from Shinkafi Local Council area, said the exercise followed an extensive pressure mounted, as a result of the ongoing Military operation around the camp of a notorious bandit’s kingpin known as Bello Turji that covers Shinkafi, Zurmi and Birnin Magaji Local Government areas.

“On 3rd January, 2022, Police Tactical operatives deployed at Shinkafi axis received an intelligence report that, some kidnapped victims were seen stranded in the bush. The Police operatives in collaboration with genuine repentant bandits and vigilante swung into action and rescued sixty eight (68) victims from the forest.

“The victims were in captivity for over three months and they include 33 male adult, 7 male children, 3 female children and 25 women including pregnant/nursing mothers respectively. The victims held from Magarya, Maradun, Gusau of Zamfara State and Sabon Birni LGA in Sokoto State” Elkanah narrated.

He recounted: On Monday 3rd January, 2022, Police Tactical operatives deployed in Tsafe axis acted on intelligence report and stormed Kunchin Kalgo forest in Tsafe LGA and rescued twenty nine (29) kidnapped victims unconditionally.

“The victims were abducted for over 60 days from three villages namely; Adarawa, Gana and Bayawuri in Rijiya District of Gusau LGA, they include 25 female including pregnant/nursing mothers and 4 male children. The victims were said to have been abducted by a Bandits’ kingpin Ado Aleru.

“All the rescued victims are currently receiving medical treatment from the joint medical teams of the State Government and the Police. They will be debriefed, hand over to the State Government before being reunited with their families”.

CP Elkanah thanked State the State’s Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle for his continuous support and assistance to the Police and other security agencies in the State, affirming that kind gesture has gone along way in making security operatives more effective and efficient in the discharge of their duties.