The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has announced that the Federal Government is working diligently with relevant authorities to eliminate ungoverned spaces that have become safe havens for criminal elements in the country.
Ribadu made this statement while officially handing over 16 abductees to officials of Zamfara State government, following their rescue from terrorists by security agencies. This event underscores the government’s ongoing efforts to secure the country and protect its citizens.
Head of Strategic Communications at the National Counter Terrorism Centre under the Office of the National Security Adviser, Abu Michael, provided further details in a statement issued in Abuja.
He emphasized, “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, with the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu handing over 16 abductees to officials of Zamfara state at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, NCTC, Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA.”
The victims, who were rescued in two batches on June 27, 2024, in Shinkafi and Tsafe LGAs, included eight males and eight females. They had been abducted from Zurmi, Duran, and Gusau Metropolis in Zamfara State on April 22, 2024, before being successfully rescued by a team of security operatives from the NCTC and ONSA.
During the handover to the state officials, led by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Nakwada, NSA Ribadu reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to eradicate kidnapping and other heinous crimes in Nigeria. He encouraged all citizens and residents to support the efforts of security agencies in achieving the government’s vision of a secure country. Ribadu assured, “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.”
In his remarks, the National Coordinator of the NCTC, Major General Adamu Garba Laka, emphasized the importance of public cooperation in security efforts. He urged Nigerians to report suspicious activities and characters promptly to security operatives to facilitate a proactive response.
A few weeks ago, 22 abducted students and staff of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, were also successfully rescued through the joint efforts of security agencies coordinated by the NCTC under Major General Laka’s leadership. This operation also included the rescue of 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, also attended the event.
Meanwhile, the NCTC has established a multi-agency anti-kidnap fusion cell for monitoring, tracking kidnappers, and rescuing abductees, further bolstering the government’s efforts to combat kidnapping in Nigeria.
