Forty-nine kidnap victims have been rescued from the kidnappers’ enclave in Gongomaliki Mountain in Yorro Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Their rescue is a sequel to joint efforts between the police, professional hunters, and vigilante groups who acted on intelligence gathering.
“In a bid to assuage the Command from the menace of Crimes and Criminalities, more especially heinous Crimes like Kidnapping, Rubbery, Banditry, and Cattle Rustling that have bedeviled the State,” [/b]the Taraba State Police Commissioner David Iloyonomon said.
[b]“The police command adopted a formidable strategy that enabled us to think outside the box whereby all our critical stakeholders such as the local Hunters and vigilantes are incorporated in our quest to ensure the lives and property of good citizens of the State are secured.
“However, this recent achievement was made possible through the dogged effort of our local hunters who raided the Kidnapper’s camp situated at the Gong-Gongmaliki Mountain in Ardo-Kola LGA Taraba State.
“Following the massive onslaught on the bandit and the kidnappers, by the local hunters in the Gongongmaliki Mountains in Ardo-Kola LGA. The local hunters gallantly engaged the suspected kidnappers in a fierce gun duel, as a result, scores of the suspected kidnappers were neutralized and many escaped with various degrees of injuries as a result of the gunshots.
“However, the local hunters succeeded in rescuing 40 kidnapped victims from the kidnappers’ den. They have been taken to the police clinic for medical examinations, counseling, and treatment.
“The victims have various degrees of injuries and ailments including one Yahaya Fidelis whose right eye was plucked out by the kidnappers.
“While Musa Yahaya was seriously injured with two gunshot injuries on him. All with serious injuries have been referred to specialist hospitals for further treatment.
“Subsequently, the Command has deployed a component of the tactical team from the anti-kidnapping unit, tasked with the mopping up of collaborators, and arrest of fleeing kidnappers from the Mountains, of Gong-Gong Maliki.
“The team has succeeded in arresting ten (10) kidnappers in the Mallum and Kasuwan Ladi area of Ardo-Kola LGA. These include one Jibo Alh. Gagare and nine others, one AK-47 and a Dane gun were recovered from them while escaping from the hot zone.
”Meanwhile, some of the kidnappers were arrested in the process of purchasing food items. Under my leadership, Taraba State Police Command will continue to remain resolute in tackling the multidimensional level of insecurity in the state through a vigorous, and constant onslaught on the criminal elements for a sustainable peace in the State”.
