The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Ahmed Audi, said on Thursday that abducted students and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School in Kuriga Chikun LGA in Kaduna would be rescued.
Audi gave this assurance in a when he visited the Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, a statement on Thursday by the NSCDC spokesman, Babawale Afolabi, stated.
The CG said the corps was ready to work with relevant security agencies to effect the release of the students and their teachers and to ensure that the perpetrators do not go scot-free.
Audi stated, “We are ready to work in collaboration with all relevant security agencies with full mechanisms and security apparatus put in place to see that the perpetrators of this heinous crime do not go scot-free.
“The NSCDC remains a key actor in the nation’s internal security and the lead agency in the Safe Schools Initiative. Currently, we are in strong synergy with the Nigerian Army, the Police and others for the quick and safe return of the abducted students.”
He appealed to communities in Kaduna State to work closely with security agencies by providing actionable intelligence and information to achieve the desired success and results afterwards.
Governor Sani lauded the effective collaboration of the corps with the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police, and the DSS, saying all critical stakeholders must play active roles to forestall criminal activities in the Kaduna State.
The Defence Headquarters, on Thursday, described the recent abductions in Borno and Kaduna states as a gross act of cowardice on the part of terrorists.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen Buba Edward, said the terrorists resorted to attacking harmless citizens as a result of the military onslaught against them.
He said the terrorists and bandits were also aware of the doom that awaited them with the deployment of the newly acquired fighter jets.
Buba said the criminal groups aimed to use the abducted students and IDPs as shields to prevent the military from bombarding them.
He also said the criminal groups carried out the attacks to boost their recruitment drive, adding that the military had in past operations killed their commanders and foot soldiers.
Buba said, “The terrorists have exhibited gross cowardice. If you are following our operations you will know that we have been going after them and killed many of their commanders and foot soldiers. Troops have unleashed onslaught on them. They have made life unbearable and too hot for them. In return, they have gone for soft targets and the reason is obvious.
“I told you recently, we just received some platforms. These platforms are not for jokes. If many do not know the functions of these platforms, I tell you, the terrorists do. To protect themselves, they carried out these recent attacks to use their victims as human shields and also to surge their recruitment drive because we have depleted their ranks.
Buba noted that the hostages were being kept in a hard-to-reach location.
He said, “The hostage situation is an extremely sensitive one, which, unfortunately, is not unprecedented in the history of the ongoing war. These hostages are being held in locations that are difficult to get to, but not out of reach. The situation is, however, indicative of the desperation of these terrorists to avoid troops onslaught by all means. “
Buba also said the abductions could have been thwarted had the troops been promptly alerted.
He, however, said the military would not rest until the kidnapped victims were rescued.
In a related development, : the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Inuwa Yahaya has said governors from the regionare concerned over the spate of insecurity in the North.
This is as he said the northern governors demanded a change in the approach to tackling insecurity in the region.
Yahaya who is also the Governor of Gombe state disclosed this on Thursday after a closed-door meeting with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribdau, and the Service Chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa.
Governors said to be present in the meeting included Sani of Kaduna State; Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, Babagana Zulum of Borno, Radda Dikko of Katsina, and Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state among others.
Yahaya noted that the the meeting was convened to discuss and review strategies for tackling cases of insecurity in the region.
He said, “The essence of the meeting as you can see is between the governors and the service chiefs and the NSA.
“So it relates to security and you know security is very critical, especially that there were the recent issues of kidnapping in the Northwest and we are becoming so concerned that we need to discuss, review, and possibly take alternative options to what we have been doing before so that we can have a better result”.
Zamfara victims rescued
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army said it had rescued seven people who were said to have been kidnapped in Marange Village, Kagara Local Government Area of Niger State.
The suspects, including two infants and five women, were said to have been in kidnappers’ dens since January 2024 before they were finally rescued from Kuyambana Forest in Zamfara State by the troops of the Hadarin Daji on Thursday.
The spokesperson for the troops, Lieutenant Suleiman Omole, said the rescue mission was largely successful after the troops stormed the forest and conducted an offensive operation in the area.
Omole said, “The successful rescue operation came as a result of the unwavering pressure exerted on the bandits by the troops, leading to the victims’ escape from the terrorists’ enclaves. The interception by the troops on March 13, 2024, marked the beginning of their journey to freedom.
“Upon their rescue, the victims underwent debriefing sessions and were promptly handed over to the relevant authorities for the necessary procedures to reunite them with their respective families.”
The General Officer Commanding 8 Division Sokoto, Major General GM Mutkut, was quoted as having commended their doggedness and tactical prowess while urging them to maintain the spirit until peace and normalcy are restored.
The troops had also rescued about 10 other victims in the Tsafe area of Zamfara State on March 13, 2024.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
