RismadarVoice Reporters, August 21, 2026
The Kaduna State Police Command has rescued 75 travellers, including men, women and children, who were abducted by armed men in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state.
The victims were reportedly travelling in commercial buses when they were intercepted by gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons at Folwaya Village, near Birnin Gwari, on Wednesday evening.
According to the police, the abductors took the victims into a forest and concealed them in a cave within a mountainous area.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, said the command received timely information from the Birnin Gwari branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers about the abduction.
He said a police team was immediately deployed to the area following the alert.
The arrival of the operatives reportedly forced the kidnappers to flee, abandoning their captives, who were rescued unharmed.
The state Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, commended the NURTW for providing the information that enabled the swift rescue operation.
He also praised the Birnin Gwari Area Commander and his men for their prompt response.
Muhammad urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements or activities to security agencies.
He further cautioned residents against taking the law into their own hands, warning that self-help could worsen the security situation and put innocent lives at risk.
Birnin Gwari has continued to face security challenges, including kidnapping, banditry and attacks on rural communities and travellers, with its forested areas and routes linking Kaduna to neighbouring Niger State particularly vulnerable to criminal activities.
