he Nigerian Army has successfully rescued 16 residents who were abducted by bandits in Tantatu community, located in Kajuru Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna state. This rescue operation comes amidst a series of escalating bandit attacks plaguing the region, highlighting the dire security situation faced by local communities.
According to reports, the bandits launched their assault on the Tantatu community at approximately 10 pm on Sunday, where they proceeded to ransack shops and homes, stealing food items and various materials. This brazen act of violence resulted in the abduction of at least 87 residents from the area.
This incident is just one in a string of recent attacks targeting Kajuru LGA. Just a day prior, gunmen kidnapped 14 individuals from Dogon Noma community within the same area. Additionally, last week saw the abduction of 61 persons in Buda community, underscoring the ongoing security challenges faced by the region.
Further exacerbating the situation, on March 7th, over 200 students and pupils were kidnapped following an attack on Government Secondary School Kuriga in Chikun LGA of Kaduna state.
In response to these alarming events, Onyema Nwachukwu, the army spokesperson, issued a statement on Monday detailing the swift action taken by troops to rescue the abducted individuals in Tantatu. Nwachukwu highlighted that the troops acted on actionable intelligence, swiftly tracking and engaging the bandits in a fierce gun battle, ultimately leading to the successful rescue of 16 kidnapped victims.
“The troops are still exploiting the bushes in continuation of the search and rescue operations,” Nwachukwu added, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to secure the area and bring perpetrators to justice.
This recent rescue operation serves as a glimmer of hope amidst the escalating insecurity in Kaduna state, showcasing the dedication of security forces to protect and safeguard the lives of citizens in the face of adversity.
