76 passengers kidnapped by bandits along Funtua-Zaria Road at Gulbala area of Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna statehave been rescued.
The victims who were passengers from Sabon Birni LGA of Sokoto State were rescued on Friday November 18, by a team of policemen and soldiers.
Spokesperson of the State Police Command, DSP Mohammed Jalige, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, November 21, 2022.
According to him, the Police Divisional Headquarters, Giwa, received a report that a large number of bandits wielding sophisticated weapons blocked the section of the road to abduct innocent commuters.
The police and military were immediately mobilised to the location to dismantle the road blockade, root out the armed miscreants and rescue any victim they may have abducted.
He said on reaching the location, a Ford open truck with Reg. No. APP 667 XG was found and information garnered had it that a large number of passengers on the truck had been moved off the road by the bandits.
“On November 18, at about 2300hrs, the Divisional Police Headquarters in Giwa received reports that a large number of bandits blocked a section of Funtua-Zaria Road at Gulbala area of Giwa LGA and abducted many commuters,” the police spokesperson said.
“On the strength of the report, a combined team of police and military were immediately mobilised to the location with clear directives to dismantle the road blockade, root out the armed miscreants and rescue any victims they may have abducted.
“On reaching the location, a Ford open truck with Reg. No. APP 667 XG, was found and information garnered had it that a large number of passengers on the truck were moved off the road by the bandits.
“This development engendered an immediate search and rescue operation by the operatives into the adjourning forest.
” In the process, the bandits were encountered and by the sheer force of firepower, pressure mounted on them by the security operatives
“Thorough combing of the forest over several hours by the crack operatives succeeded in the rescue of large number of victims totalling Seventy Six (76) comprising male and females of different ages.”
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the victims who were passengers on the truck were travelling from Sabon Birni LGA of Sokoto State en-route different destinations when they were intercepted by the marauders,” he added.
Jalige also said security operatives were still on operation within the general area in search of the main truck driver and two other passengers who are yet to be accounted for.
