By Onoja Baba, Nigeria
The Nigeria Police Force has announced major breakthroughs in its ongoing operations in Kaduna State, with the successful rescue of 17 kidnapped victims.
About 21 fabricated AK-47 rifles were recovered and three armed robbers were neutralized.
Speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, revealed that the rescue operation, which took place on Thursday, was carried out by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Kaduna Police Command in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The victims, abducted on March 3 from Sarkin Pawa in Niger State, were rescued through a non-kinetic operation, underscoring the emphasis on intelligence-led policing and inter-agency collaboration under the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun.
All 17 victims—comprising men, women, and children, the youngest just one year old—were immediately taken to the Police Clinic in Kaduna for medical evaluation and were confirmed to be in stable condition.
In a separate operation also on April 9, officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, acting on credible intelligence, intercepted a commercial vehicle at the Kawo Central Motor Park in Kaduna and uncovered 21 fabricated AK-47 rifles hidden inside.
A suspect, 27-year-old Jamilu Suleiman of Rafin Guza, Kaduna, was arrested at the scene. Preliminary investigations revealed that Suleiman was instructed by a union member to deliver the firearms to an unidentified contact.
Police authorities have launched a full investigation to unravel and dismantle the arms trafficking network.
That same morning, a swift police response to a distress call thwarted a robbery in progress at Doggi Farm along the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway.
The Divisional Police Officer of Tafa Division led a patrol team to the location where they engaged a gang of roughly 30 armed robbers in a gun battle. Two suspects were neutralized during the exchange, while others fled into surrounding hills. Two additional suspects were apprehended with gunshot wounds; one later died in the hospital, and the other is currently aiding investigations.
ACP Adejobi emphasized that the operations reflect the strategic vision of the IGP to combat violent crime and restore public confidence in the force’s capacity to secure lives and property.
Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing criminals and ensure justice is served.
The police urged citizens to continue supporting security agencies by providing timely and credible information that can aid operations and prevent crime.
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