Kidnappers flee as police rescue 75 victims in Birnin Gwari

KADUNA — The Kaduna State Police Command has rescued 75 kidnapped victims, including men, women and children, abducted by armed men in Folwaya Village, near Birnin Gwari.

The victims, identified as Fulani travellers, were reportedly abducted while travelling in commercial buses on Wednesday.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, disclosed this in a statement, saying the incident occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on August 19, 2026, following information received from the Birnin Gwari branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

According to him, the victims were abducted by unknown gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons and taken into a forest.

He said the abductors later concealed the victims in a cave within a mountainous area.

Hassan said that upon receiving the information, a tactical team from the Birnin Gwari Area Command was immediately deployed to the location.

He added that the arrival of the operatives forced the kidnappers to flee, abandoning the victims, who were rescued unharmed.

The Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command, CP Rabiu Muhammad, commended the NURTW, Birnin Gwari branch, for providing 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 CP urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements and activities to the police.

He, however, cautioned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands, warning that such actions could lead to the loss of innocent lives.