KADUNA — The Kaduna State Police Command says it has rescued 75 kidnapped travellers, including men, women and children, who were abducted by armed men near Folwaya Village in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Mansir Hassan, said the victims were Fulani travellers moving in commercial buses when they were intercepted by gunmen at about 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. The attackers were reportedly armed with AK-47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons.
According to the police, the kidnappers forced the victims into a forest and later concealed them inside a cave in a mountainous area. The command said the rescue followed timely information received from the Birnin Gwari branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW.
Hassan said a tactical team from the Birnin Gwari Area Command was immediately deployed to the location after the alert was received. The arrival of the operatives reportedly forced the gunmen to flee, leaving the victims behind. Police said all 75 abducted persons were rescued unharmed.
The Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, CP Rabiu Muhammad, commended the NURTW branch in Birnin Gwari for providing what he described as timely and vital information that helped security operatives carry out the rescue.
Muhammad also praised the Area Commander in Birnin Gwari and the officers involved in the operation for their quick response and professionalism.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements, persons or activities to security agencies without delay. The police commissioner said community cooperation remains critical to preventing abductions and improving response time in rural areas vulnerable to attacks.
Muhammad, however, warned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands, saying mob action or jungle justice could endanger innocent lives and undermine ongoing security operations.
Birnin Gwari has long been one of the areas in Kaduna State affected by banditry, kidnapping and attacks on travellers. Security agencies have carried out repeated operations in the area, but armed groups continue to exploit forests, rough terrain and remote roads to ambush commuters and local communities.
The latest rescue highlights the importance of intelligence sharing between transport unions, local residents and security agencies. Police said further efforts were ongoing to track the fleeing suspects and prevent similar attacks along the route.
