The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has announced that the Federal Government is working hard with relevant authorities to eliminate ungoverned spaces that provide hiding places for criminals.
Ribadu made this statement while handing over 16 rescued abductees to officials from Zamfara State.
The Head of Strategic Communications for the National Counter Terrorism Centre within the Office of the National Security Adviser, Abu Michael, shared details of the event in a statement from Abuja.
“In demonstration of its unwavering commitment towards the safety and protection of Nigerians, the federal government has continued to record successes in various rescue operations of kidnap victims in the country,” Michael said.
“The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, handed over 16 abductees to officials of Zamfara State at the National Counter Terrorism Centre.”
The rescued victims, consisting of eight males and eight females, were abducted from Zurmi, Duran, and Gusau Metropolis in Zamfara State on April 22, 2024. They were rescued on June 27, 2024, in Shinkafi and Tsafe Local Government Areas by security operatives.
While presenting the abductees to the Zamfara State officials, led by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Nakwada, Ribadu emphasized the government’s determination to end kidnapping and other crimes.
“The government is working assiduously with relevant authorities to close-up ungoverned spaces that have continued to provide hiding places for criminal elements in the country,” Ribadu said. He urged Nigerians to support the security agencies’ efforts to secure the country, assuring that “no stone would be left unturned in ensuring a safe and resilient society.”
Major General Adamu Garba Laka, National Coordinator of the NCTC, also spoke at the event. He appealed to Nigerians to promptly report suspicious activities to security operatives. “Timely reporting of suspicious activities and characters to security operatives will enable a proactive response,” he said.
Recently, 22 abducted students and staff of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, were also rescued through coordinated efforts by security agencies led by the NCTC, which included a victim from Sokoto State.
The Zamfara State SSG was accompanied by the State Commissioner for Project Implementation, Zurumi Nasiru, and Alhaji Ibrahim Isah, to receive the rescued abductees in Abuja. Senator Shehu Buba, Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, was also present at the event.
In a bid to combat kidnapping, the NCTC has established a multi-agency anti-kidnap fusion cell to monitor and track kidnappers and rescue abductees.
