No fewer than 62 kidnap victims have regained freedom after the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) carried out a precision strike on the camp of a notorious bandit leader, Muhammadu Fulani, in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State.
By Chimezie Godfrey
No fewer than 62 kidnap victims have regained freedom after the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) carried out a precision strike on the camp of a notorious bandit leader, Muhammadu Fulani, in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The strike, conducted on Saturday evening at about 5:10pm in Jigawa Sawai, a community bordering Zamfara State, forced Fulani’s men to abandon their stronghold, paving the way for the captives to escape.
The Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, who confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday, said some of the victims were abducted during a night raid in Sayaya village on August 11.
“From the accounts of the victims, the bandits fled immediately after the airstrike, which gave them the opportunity to run for safety. As of now, 62 victims have managed to escape,” he said.
According to the commissioner, 12 of the victims are receiving medical care at Matazu General Hospital, while 16 are under the watch of troops at the Forward Operating Base in Kaiga Malamai.
He added that troops have continued to monitor the area to facilitate further rescue operations.
“The state government wishes to reassure families that the rescued victims will be reunited with their loved ones after completing the necessary medical examinations,” Mu’azu said.
One of the freed victims, who gave his name as Musa, told Daily Trust that he had lost hope until the NAF strike created confusion among their captors.
“We were inside the camp when the bomb fell. The bandits ran in different directions. That was how we all ran for our lives. Some went into the bush, some ran towards the road. I thank God I am alive,” he said.
Residents of Sayaya village, where many of the victims were abducted, expressed relief at the development. “We have been living in fear since the attack. At least, this gives us some hope that government is listening to us,” a local farmer, Alhaji Rabiu, said.
The commissioner also disclosed that the government had deployed the Quick Response Wing of the Air Force to communities in Matazu and Bakori LGAs, following a spate of attacks in recent weeks.
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, while commending the military for the successful operation, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ending banditry in the state.
“Our security forces have shown courage and determination in the face of adversity. We remain resolute in our efforts to rid Katsina of this menace,” he said.