Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have killed several suspected kidnappers and rescued 20 abducted victims during a joint security operation in forests located in Kaduna State.
The operation, carried out between March 6 and 7, involved personnel of the police, the army, the Department of State Services (DSS), and local vigilantes.
The police stated that the operation was launched following credible intelligence that suspected kidnappers fleeing security operations in Gauraka Forest in Niger State had crossed into Gidan Dogo and Kweri forests in Kaduna State with several kidnapped victims.
Acting on the intelligence, the officer in charge of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit led a combined tactical team into the forest to track the suspects.
The police said the operatives came under heavy gunfire as they approached the kidnappers’ hideout, triggering a fierce gun battle that lasted for over one hour and thirty minutes.
During the exchange, security operatives reportedly overpowered the suspects through what authorities described as superior tactics and firepower, killing several of the kidnappers.
Two suspects identified as Nura Sani and Abdul Bello were arrested, while other gang members escaped with gunshot wounds into surrounding forests and hills.
The joint team also rescued 20 kidnapped victims — 10 males and 10 females — who were earlier abducted from Byazhin District in the Bwari Area Council as well as Gauraka and Tafa areas of Niger State.
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Security operatives recovered one AK-47 rifle with breech number 90-17147, a magazine loaded with 20 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, and a locally made firearm from the suspects.
The rescued victims were immediately taken to a hospital for medical treatment.
Police authorities also cautioned journalists and social media users against sharing unverified information during sensitive security operations.
In a statement, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh, said premature dissemination of information about kidnappings or rescue missions could endanger victims and compromise the safety of operatives.
Meanwhile, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, commended the operatives involved in the operation for their professionalism and bravery.
He urged residents of the FCT to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies through the command’s emergency lines.
