77 persons that included women and children have been rescued from the hands of kidnappers in Katsina state.
The victims were rescued by the state government in collaboration with the various security agencies as well as Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association.
They were handed over to Governor Aminu Masari Thursday evening at the Government House, even as government officials claimed no ransom was paid for their rescue.
Masari said at least 104 victims of kidnap, including the 77, had been rescued in recent days by the combined efforts of governnent and security agencies.
The governor said of the 104 rescued victims, 16 were from Sabuwa, Faskari and Dandume, 10 from Danmusa and the 77 from Batsari and Jibia Local Government Areas.
He said their rescue was in continuation of an exercise that was started with the recovery of the 344 students of Government Science Secondary School (GSSS), Kankara.
“We saw an opener and we are working with the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in cooperation with the police, the army, the DSS, the Airforce and other security agencies to bring back as many of the kidnapped victims as possible.
“And the process is still ongoing; we are doing this as quietly as we can to make sure that nobody is harmed and further kidnapping is stopped,” he said.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Sanusi Buba, said the rescue operation came after some of the bandits reached out that they wanted peace to reign in their domain.
Buba said the process was made possible after visit to the state by Inspector General Of Police (IGP) Muhammad Adamu, where machinery was put in place to make bandits commit to releasing their victims.
“This process has been on for some days. We are making efforts to ensure that all those that are still in captivity are safely rescued without the payment of any ransom or hindrance.
“We hope and pray that this method will not only to be limited to Katsina State but will go beyond all other vulnerable states,” he added.
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