Police Rescue 75 Kidnapped Travellers In Kaduna

Police in Kaduna State say they have rescued 75 kidnapped travellers, including men, women and children, after an operation in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area.

Punch, Daily Trust and Channels TV reported that the victims were abducted near Folwaya Village while travelling in commercial buses.

The police statement, attributed to command spokesman Mansir Hassan, said the attack happened on August 19 after armed men stopped the travellers and took them into a forest area.

Daily Trust and Channels TV reported that the victims were hidden in a cave in a mountainous area before police operatives from the Birnin Gwari Area Command moved in after receiving information from the National Union of Road Transport Workers branch in the area.

Punch reported that the rescued group included men, women and children. The reports said the abductors were armed with AK-47 rifles and other weapons.

The command said the victims were rescued during the police operation and taken to safety. The incident adds to the pressure on security agencies in Birnin Gwari, which has faced repeated attacks on travellers and rural communities.

Sources: Punch, Daily Trust, Channels TV