Police say 19 women and children were rescued after 22 days in captivity in Zamfara, while a three-year-old girl was freed in a separate operation that led to the arrest of her paternal aunt over an alleged ₦10 million ransom demand.
The police in Zamfara State have rescued 19 people held captive by suspected bandits for 22 days and a three-year-old girl abducted in a separate incident in the state.
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The 19 people, described by the police as women and children, were rescued on Saturday from a suspected bandits’ camp near Kungurmi village, while the girl was freed earlier in the week following the arrest of her 26-year-old paternal aunt.
The police spokesperson in Zamfara, Yazid Abubakar, disclosed the operations in separate statements issued on Friday and Saturday.
Nineteen rescued after 22 days
Mr Abubakar said the 19 victims were abducted from Tungar Haki village, near Wanke, in Gusau Local Government Area, and taken to a camp around Kungurmi.
Acting on intelligence about their location, operatives of the police Anti-Kidnapping Unit, personnel attached to Government House, the State Security Service (SSS) and local hunters carried out a rescue operation at about 10 a.m. on Saturday.
The victims were found unharmed and have since been reunited with their families, according to the police.
However, the command did not disclose whether any suspects were arrested during the operation or whether the kidnappers had demanded or received a ransom.
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It also provided no breakdown of the victims by age and sex or details of any medical examinations conducted after their rescue.
The Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Muhammad Bello, commended those involved in the operation and urged residents to continue providing information to security agencies.
Aunt arrested over girl’s abduction
In the other incident, police arrested a 26-year-old woman, Saadiya Sahabi, over the alleged abduction of her three-year-old niece in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area.
A man, Abdulganiyu Sahabi, reported to the police on 30 October that his daughter had been abducted two days earlier.
He told investigators that an unidentified caller contacted him on 29 October, claiming to have the child and demanding ₦10 million for her release.
Following investigations, detectives from the State Intelligence Department arrested Ms Sahabi on 10 November in Bela District, Bungudu Local Government Area.
The police identified the suspect as the younger sister of the child’s father and alleged that she admitted involvement in the abduction during interrogation.
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They did not explain her suspected role in the ransom demand or disclose whether any money was paid.
The girl underwent a medical examination before being reunited with her parents on 12 November.
Investigators are still trying to establish whether other people participated in the abduction. The police have not announced any charges against the suspect.
The two incidents occurred in different parts of Zamfara, and the police have not reported any connection between them.