By Kingsley Omonobi
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have rescued 75 men, women and children abducted by armed kidnappers while travelling in commercial buses in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The victims, reportedly Fulani travellers, were kidnapped on August 19, 2026, at about 5:30 p.m. after armed men intercepted their vehicles around Folwaya Village, near Birnin Gwari.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, said in a statement that the attackers, armed with AK-47 rifles and other weapons, forced the passengers into a nearby forest and held them in a cave situated in a mountainous area.
The victims were eventually rescued after the Kaduna State Police Command received credible intelligence from the Birnin Gwari branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW.
Following the information, a specially deployed team from the Birnin Gwari Area Command moved to the suspected location.
The officers reportedly launched a decisive operation in the area, forcing the kidnappers to abandon their captives and flee into the surrounding terrain.
All 75 victims were successfully rescued without injuries.
The Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, commended the NURTW branch in Birnin Gwari for providing the timely intelligence that facilitated the operation.
He stressed that effective cooperation between security agencies and members of the public remained critical to preventing kidnappings and other violent crimes.
The commissioner also praised the Birnin Gwari Area Commander and his team for their swift and professional response, which led to the safe recovery of the victims.
CP Muhammad urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements or activities to the police, noting that timely information could help security agencies prevent attacks and save lives.
He further cautioned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands, warning that vigilante actions and retaliatory attacks could worsen insecurity and put innocent lives at risk.
The post Police rescue 75 kidnapping victims from Kaduna forest appeared first on Vanguard News.