By Uthman Baba-Sirajdeen, Minna [THESTORIES] – July 6, 2025 – Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Niger State Police Command have rescued 35 victims suspected to have been held captive by Boko Haram insurgents in parts of the state.
According to reliable sources, the victims—mostly women and children—were spotted in large numbers along the riverbank in Agwara while attempting to board canoes to cross into Yauri in Kebbi State. Their movement reportedly appeared suspicious, prompting residents to alert the police.
It was also gathered that suspected bandits, believed to be armed Boko Haram fighters, had earlier been seen along the same riverbank. “We saw them moving with weapons and fled immediately,” said a resident who spoke under the condition of anonymity.
The rescue operation, led by DSP Ahmed Saidu, head of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, lasted nearly four hours and was described as a well-coordinated effort.
Sources said the victims were rescued from Boko Haram-controlled communities in Alawa, Madaka, and Gurmana in Shiroro Local Government Area, as well as Sarkin Pawa in Munya and Rafi Local Government Areas of Niger State. Some of the rescued individuals had reportedly been in captivity for as long as five years.
Among the victims were pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children between the ages of three and five. Some women reportedly gave birth while in captivity in the dense forests of Madaka and Alawa.
The rescue was triggered by a distress call regarding the movement of a woman suspected to be an escaped victim. Her case led to further investigations and the eventual large-scale rescue.
A visit to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) headquarters in Minna revealed that the victims were undergoing profiling before being presented to the Acting Governor of Niger State, Yakubu Garba.
Emotional scenes played out as relatives of the rescued victims flooded the police headquarters in celebration, praising the efforts of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad. Some had lost hope of ever seeing their loved ones again.
This development comes amid growing concerns over the presence of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) operatives in the Borgu axis of Niger State. Communities such as Borgu, Luma, Gunfati, and Agwara are reportedly under the influence or partial occupation of ISWAP fighters.
Efforts to reach the Commissioner of Police, CP Adamu Abdullahi Ellenman, for comments were unsuccessful. However, a senior police officer at the Command, while neither confirming nor denying the rescue, stated: “We will speak to the press on this success recorded by the Command.”
