The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on Tuesday, handed over 128 victims rescued from kidnappers in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of tZamfara state.
Speaking while handing over the victims to the Zamfara state government, Ribadu vowed that the federal government would sustain its onslaught against terrorists and kidnappers until they are completely defeated.
”There will be no respite in our operations. There will be no safe haven for those who terrorise our citizens. We will hunt, find, and bring them to justice,” he said.
The NSA described the latest rescue as “a victory for the Nigerian people and a crushing blow to the networks of terror that sought to undermine peace in the country”.
He commended security agencies for their commitments, niting that it is a testament to renewed national security strategy.
Ribadu also cautioned against politicising the plight of victims, saying the pain of victims should never be turned into a tool for partisan gain.
He called on religious and political leaders, civil society, and community influencers to rise above division and work together in the spirit of unity and compassion.
Speaking earlier, the National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka said the victims were rescued in two batches after coordinated security operations.
According to him, the first batch, rescued on August 14, comprised 40 males, seven females and a toddler, while the second batch, rescued on August 19, comprised 34 males and 54 females.
He sais, “Unfortunately, among the second batch, we lost one of the children due to illness and the fatigue he suffered while in the kidnappers’ camp,” he said.
Laka added that one of the rescued women gave birth prematurely, with the child currently in an incubator at a medical facility.
He said all the victims had been under the care of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for medical treatment, psychological support, and rehabilitation before the formal handover.
NSA hands over 128 rescued Zamfara kidnap victims, vows to sustained crackdown on bandits, terrorists
