By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Kaduna State Police Command has rescued 75 kidnapped victims, including men, women and children, who were abducted by armed men in Folwaya Village, near Birnin Gwari.
The victims, identified as Fulani travellers, were abducted while travelling in commercial buses on Wednesday, 19 August, 2026, at about 5:30pm, following an attack by unknown gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, disclosed this in a statement, explaining that the operation to rescue the victims was carried out following information received from the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Birnin Gwari branch.
According to him, the gunmen had taken the victims into a forest before subsequently concealing them in a cave located within a mountainous area.
Hassan said that upon receiving the information, a crack team from the Birnin Gwari Area Command was immediately deployed to the location, adding that the arrival of the operatives forced the kidnappers to flee, abandoning the victims, who were consequently rescued unharmed.
The Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command, CP Rabiu Muhammad, commended the NURTW, Birnin Gwari branch, for providing the police with timely and vital information that facilitated the rescue operation. He also praised the Area Commander, Birnin Gwari, and his operatives for their swift and professional response.
“The commissioner urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements and activities to the police,” the statement read.
He, however, cautioned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands, warning that such actions could result in the loss of innocent lives.
