Another batch of 37 kidnap victims, including newlywed, were freed from the bandits in Katsina, late Friday evening.
The victims who were mostly women and children were abducted in the last two weeks from Unguwar Malamai community in Yantumaki District of Danmusa Local Government Area and Babban Duhu village in Safana Local Government Areas of the State.
Their rescue was in continuation of the efforts by the Katsina State Government to find lasting solution to the menace of banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other related crimes confronting the state.
One of the victims, Farida Sani, who was abducted at Runka town in Safana Local Government Area of the state, nine days after her marriage, recounted her ordeal in the kidnappers den.
“When the bandits attacked our town, they met me inside our bedroom lying on the ground and woke me up and took me to their enclave. We spent 15 days there. During our stay, they were beating my husband and other male captives, but spared me. The accommodation was not a room but an open place more of grasses and plants,” she said.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Alhaji Ahmed Katsina, in his speech, said that the release of the latest batch brings the total number of freed victims to 141 since the commencement of the community based initiative on banditry.
“Medical Doctors have also been brought in to examine the health status of the victims and psychologists will also talk to them and by extension, the state government will in turn give them some palliatives to start life in a better way,” he said.
While addressing the rescued victims on behalf of the state government, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mustapha Inuwa, urged them to take it as an act of God and be prayerful as well as to continue to support the security agencies in the ongoing onslaught against the menace of banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling.
