President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the successful rescue of 308 abducted Nigerians from kidnappers’ hideouts in Niger State, describing the operation as a major victory in the country’s ongoing fight against insecurity.
The President also directed security agencies to strengthen early warning mechanisms, improve community-based intelligence gathering and enhance rapid response capabilities to prevent future abductions across the country.
The 308 victims were rescued during a coordinated, intelligence-led operation conducted by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in collaboration with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force.
According to the Presidency, 163 of the rescued victims were abducted from Woro Community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, while the remaining 145 were kidnapped from communities in Niger State.
The victims were rescued from the Kainji Lake National Park forest in New Bussa Local Government Area of Niger State in what officials described as the largest single-day rescue operation ever carried out by the joint security team.
Commending the operation, President Tinubu praised the leadership and personnel of the participating security agencies for their courage, professionalism and effective inter-agency collaboration.
“The successful execution of this intelligence-led operation demonstrates the growing efficiency and collaboration among our security services. I commend our gallant men and women in uniform for their bravery and unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigerian lives,” the President said.
The rescued victims are currently receiving first aid and medical attention at the medical facility within the Wawa Cantonment. Upon completion of medical evaluations, they will be handed over to the governments of their respective states for rehabilitation, care and reunification with their families.
While celebrating the successful rescue, Tinubu stressed the need to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture to forestall similar incidents.
He directed security agencies and relevant stakeholders to immediately reinforce early warning systems, deepen intelligence gathering at the community level and improve rapid response mechanisms to better protect vulnerable communities.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to eliminating security threats across the country, assuring Nigerians that the Federal Government would continue to deploy every available resource to restore lasting peace and guarantee the safety of lives and property.
