No fewer than 10 kidnapped persons have been rescued by a joint security team following a gun battle with suspected bandits in Niger State.
The rescue occurred on Sunday at Mai-Laka village in Mariga Local Government Area, along the Bangi–Kotonkoro road.
The Niger State Police Command confirmed the development on Monday, describing the operation as a significant success in the ongoing fight against kidnapping and banditry in the state.
The police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun, said the joint security operatives encountered the suspected kidnappers at about 8am and engaged them in a fierce exchange of gunfire.
He explained that the suspects were forced to flee during the encounter, abandoning several of their captives in the process.
Abiodun said the victims, numbering about 10, were immediately rescued by the operatives and have since been taken to safety.
According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the rescued persons were abducted from Yauri, Dusai, Dogon-Fadama and Yabawa communities.
The police spokesperson added that motorcycles believed to belong to the fleeing bandits were recovered at the scene.
He further stated that security agencies had intensified clearance and surveillance operations in the area to flush out remaining criminal elements and restore confidence among residents.
Abiodun assured the public that the command remained committed to safeguarding lives and property across the state.