Police Rescue 75 Kidnapped Travellers in Kadun

The Nigeria Police Force has rescued 75 men, women and children kidnapped by armed assailants in Kaduna State’s Birnin Gwari Local Government Area.

The victims, reportedly Fulani travellers, were kidnapped on August 19, 2026, while travelling in commercial buses. The attackers intercepted the vehicles around Folwaya Village, near Birnin Gwari, at about 5:30 p.m., before forcing the passengers into a nearby forest.

According to the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, the victims were concealed inside a cave in a mountainous area.

The rescue operation followed credible intelligence provided by the Birnin Gwari branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). Acting on the information, police operatives from the Birnin Gwari Area Command were deployed to the suspected location.

The officers launched an operation in the area, forcing the kidnappers to abandon the captives and flee into the surrounding terrain.

All 75 victims were rescued safely without injuries, according to the police.

The Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, commended the NURTW members for providing the information that helped security personnel locate the victims.

He also praised the Birnin Gwari Area Commander and his team for their swift response and professional handling of the operation.

CP Muhammad stressed the importance of cooperation between security agencies and local communities in combating kidnapping and other violent crimes.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements or activities to the authorities, noting that timely intelligence could help prevent attacks and save lives.

The commissioner also warned residents against taking the law into their own hands, cautioning that vigilante actions and retaliatory attacks could further aggravate insecurity and endanger innocent people.