Police hand over 17 kidnapped victims to Niger state government

The Niger police command has handed over 17 kidnapped victims to the state government.

Speaking on Friday while receiving the victims in Minna, the state capital, Yakubu Garba, the deputy governor of Niger, said they were rescued in Kaduna by the police in collaboration with the office of the national security adviser (ONSA).

Garba said the victims were from the Wuloto and Kango communities in Kuchi ward under Muyan LGA of Niger.

“Within two years, insecurity and youth restiveness have reduced in the state, and the governor needs our prayers and support to succeed,” Garba said.

“We appeal to parents and relatives of the victims to be patient and not rush to take them away.

“Their lives and health condition must be ascertained before handing them over to their parents.”

Garba commended the police for their efforts towards the rescue while urging them to intensify efforts to combat insecurity in the state.

He also thanked President Bola Tinubu for his efforts to end insecurity in the country, adding that the rescue of the victims underscored the importance of inter-agency collaboration.

Adamu Elleman, the police commissioner in Niger state, said the victims include 11 females and six males, noting that the operation was successful due to the command’s strategic approach in combating crime.

Elleman reaffirmed the command’s commitment to eliminating crime in the state through constant patrols, stop-and-search operations, and arrests.