No fewer than 11 hostages escaped from bandits’ camps on the outskirts of Sabon Birni town, Igabi L0cal Government Area of Kaduna State.

Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State, said on Thursday that ongoing security operations in the state dislodged many of the bandits’ camps, which enabled hostages to escape.

According to him, careful checks revealed that the 11 hostages are a mix of those kidnapped from Dumbin Rauga, Zaria council and also along the Kaduna-Zaria Highway.

The hostages that escaped were identified as

*From Dumbin Rauga (all children between ages seven and 10):

– Fatima Sani

– Aisha Falalu

– Amina Aliyu

– Hadizatu Sani

– Bashar Falalu

*From the Kaduna-Zaria Road (abducted while travelling from Maiduguri to Ilorin):

– Fatima Umar

– Zara Umar (and her infant)

– Hadiza Madu Sharif

– Hauwa Ali

– Zara Madu Sharif

– Maryam Madu

It was reported that the families of those kidnapped at Dumbin Rauga had collectively paid a ransom of N3,000,000.

But the bandits reneged on the agreement to release the captives, insisting that two motorcycles must be included in the ransom deal.

The escapees were recovered by the troops and have since been reunited with their families.

In another development, troops of Operation Safe Haven reported the rescue of two kidnapped victims, Barira Sulaiman Inusa and Isah Musa, around Kirti village of Jema’a council. They have also been reunited with their families.

Furthermore, the troops rescued one Mrs Chioma Amanda Silver, in Ungwan Sarki Goza village, Mariri, Lere council.

She had been abducted by bandits, who abandoned her on sighting the troops.

Receiving the reports, Governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed his satisfaction with the developments, praising the military’s efforts and the degrading effect of the onslaught on bandit hideouts across the state.

He also commended the swift response of the troops to rescue the kidnapped citizens in Jema’a and Lere.

The governor sent his prayers and best wishes to all the former hostages as they rejoined their families.