Kaduna: Abductors flee as police rescue dozens of kidnapped victims

From Noah Ebije, Kaduna

In a dramatic operation that saw armed abductors abandon their captives and flee into the forest, the Kaduna State Police Command has successfully rescued a group of Fulani men, women, and children who were kidnapped along the Birnin Gwari axis. A statement issued on Friday by the Spokesman of Kaduna Police Command, DSP Mansir Hassan said the rescue, which occurred on 19th August 2026, was triggered by a timely tip-off from the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Birnin Gwari branch.

The police revealed that at about 5:30 pm, they received credible intelligence that some commercial buses carrying Fulani travellers were intercepted by unknown gunmen wielding AK-47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons at Folwaya Village, near Birnin Gwari.

The abductors then marched their victims into the forest and concealed them inside a cave within a mountainous area.

“Upon receipt of the information, a crack team from the Birnin Gwari Area Command was immediately deployed to the location,” the statement read.

The operation proved decisive. On sighting the well-armed police operatives, the abductors fled in disarray, abandoning their captives.

“The victims were successfully rescued unharmed,” the Command confirmed.

The Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command, CP Rabiu Muhammad, praised the collaborative effort that led to the successful rescue.

He specifically commended the NURTW, Birnin Gwari branch, “for providing timely and vital information,” and applauded the Area Commander, Birnin Gwari, alongside his operatives, “for their swift and professional response.”

CP Muhammad used the opportunity to urge citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements promptly to the Police. He, however, issued a stern warning against self-help.

“He further cautioned residents against taking the law into their own hands, noting that such actions could lead to the loss of innocent lives,” the statement added.

The rescued victims, who included women and children, are currently receiving medical attention and are being debriefed by security agencies before being reunited with their families.