In a successful counter-banditry effort, a combined team of security forces in Kebbi State has rescued six kidnapped victims and recovered dozens of rustled cattle following a swift operation in the troubled Danko Wasagu Local Government Area.
The victims were abducted from the Kokanawa and Ukuhu communities, where gunmen also carted away livestock, prompting immediate action by authorities.
Security personnel tracked the bandits to the banks of the Zamfara River, where the hostages were freed and the stolen animals retrieved.
The armed attackers, however, managed to escape capture.
Addressing the press in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday, the Director of Security at the Cabinet Office, Abdulrahman Zagga, revealed that the operation was carried out under the direct orders of Governor Nasir Idris, following emergency alerts from the targeted communities.
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“The six individuals have been safely reunited with their families, and the recovered cattle are being returned to their rightful owners,” Zagga confirmed. “Our forces acted with precision and speed, though the suspects are still at large.”
This latest incident highlights the ongoing security challenges facing rural communities in northwestern Nigeria, where criminal gangs continue to terrorize residents through kidnapping and cattle rustling.
Zagga reaffirmed the government’s commitment to flushing out criminal elements from the region, stating that intensified patrols and intelligence-sharing efforts will continue.