The Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Nura Abdullahi, and four other victims have regained their freedom after spending 61 days in captivity.
The five victims escaped from their abductors in the early hours of Thursday during an intelligence-led military operation in the Kaura Namoda area of the state.
The development was disclosed by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North-West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lt-Col Aliyu Danja, in a statement issued on Thursday.
Abdullahi was kidnapped on July 25 when bandits attacked his residence in Bungudu town.
The attack resulted in a gun battle during which four members of his security detail — two police officers and two local vigilantes — were killed.
According to Danja, the victims escaped while troops were conducting an operation against a suspected terrorist location in the general area.
The troops subsequently received the five victims, provided them with security and evacuated them to a military medical facility.
“They were provided with security cover and evacuated to a military medical facility, where they are responding to treatment and undergoing evaluation and routine debriefing,” Danja said.
He added that one of the victims had already been reunited with family members, while arrangements were underway to reunite the remaining victims with their families and the Zamfara State Government.
The Theatre Command commended the victims for their resilience after more than two months in captivity and praised the troops involved in the operation for their vigilance and professionalism.
The chairman’s abduction had occurred amid continued attacks and kidnappings by armed groups in parts of Zamfara and other states in Nigeria’s North-West.
