The 17 Brigade Commander of the Nigerian Army, Katsina State, Brigadier General Babatunde Omopariola, on Saturday, declared that doors are still open for bandits and violent extremists to surrender.
However, he advised that anybody engaged in the business of kidnapping to cease or else face the consequences.
Brigadier General Omopariola was speaking when he handed over nine saved people who fell victims of kidnapping to officials of the Katsina State Government in a short ceremony held at the 17 Brigade Headquarters, Katsina.
Omopariola, was represented by the Brigade’s Chief of Staff, Colonel Yakubu Nwandiscas, and he explained that the Nigerian Army applied a non-violent strategy in rescuing the victims.
The victims include five men and two nursing mothers alongside their two babies were said to have been kidnapped from different Katsina LGAs at different locations and dates by bandits and taken to Kaduna State.
In his comments, the Senior Special Assistant to the Katsina State Governor on Victims of Banditry and IDPs, Sa’idu Danja, complimented every one of the people who partook in the rescue mission.
He reviewed that a combined team of troops and other security agents had on Thursday rescued eleven victims in Batsari LGA and on Friday, rescued 19 victims.
“These are some of the successes you have been recording as a result of your synergy. His Excellency the Governor, has been receiving cooperation from all angles of the security agencies and will give you all the necessary support and cooperation to achieve your desired result,” Danja expressed.
A 45 years old father of 15 children, Inusa Salisu, narrated that he spent 90 days in the hands of the bandits after they caught him while working on his farmland found five kilometres from Sabuwa LGA of the state.
“The criminals, seven in their numbers, riding on five motorcycles, pursued me and my grownup son.
“Within the 90 days period of our stay, we were eating animal feeds. They killed five people in my presence including my 20-year-old son. I didn’t touch water talk less of having a bath within the period,” he pointed out.
