By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has accused certain influential individuals of undermining the Nigerian government’s efforts to combat insurgency in the country. Speaking in Abuja on Saturday after receiving 58 rescued kidnapping victims from the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Gen. Musa vowed that these individuals would not be allowed to obstruct the government’s fight against terror.
Musa expressed his concern over the dire condition of the victims, including women and children, many of whom were barely surviving. He questioned the motives of those behind the kidnappings, asking, “Why would someone kidnap these kinds of people?” He emphasized that while many Nigerians believe all those involved in banditry do so willingly, some are conscripted into the ranks of terrorists against their will.
The CDS assured that the military would hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions. “For the innocent blood they have spilled, for those they have restricted from their freedom, the security personnel will get back at them,” he stated, adding that the law would catch up with them.
Gen. Musa also confirmed that no ransom had been paid for the victims’ release, highlighting the success of non-kinetic means in securing their freedom. He appealed to citizens to continue supporting security agencies in the ongoing battle against insecurity, stressing that the fight against terror is a collective effort.
Maj Gen. Adamu Laka, National Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Center, revealed that preliminary investigations showed the victims were abducted by armed bandits led by a notorious terrorist known as Janbros. The victims were forced to trek hundreds of kilometers into the thick forests of Birnin Gwari during their abduction.
Laka confirmed that the government had provided the necessary support to stabilize the victims, and six of the rescued individuals were hospitalized but have since recovered and joined the rest of the group for handover to their families.
The Chief of Staff to Kaduna State Governor, Sani Limankila, called on Nigerians to unite with security agencies to end the scourge of kidnapping. The victims, comprising 35 males and 23 females, were taken from their homes and farmlands in Gayam, Sabon Layi, and Kwaga villages of Dan Musa Local Government Area in Katsina State. They were rescued on November 14 by troops of the 1st Division of the Nigerian Army.
