Kwara govt secures release of kidnap victims in Kwara South, Kaduna

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Abductors of the six Kwara APC chieftains have been killed in a rescue operation conducted by local vigilante, it was learnt on Monday.

The kidnappers were shot dead on Saturday night as the vigilante operators swooped on their hideouts in bushes around Ekiti local government area of the state after hours of tracking.

A security source said the state government had since the incident a few days ago activated the security architecture which involved the police and local vigilante groups in the area.

The vigilantes traced the abductors to their hideouts following detailed intelligence gathered from various sources. Part of the successful operation involved difficult terrains and night movement.

However, one of the victims, an APC woman in Koro Ward of Ekiti Local Government, was discovered to have died as the local security network engaged the criminal in a gun duel. The criminal gang in their usual cowardly ways put the victims in harm’s way as human shield during the operation, the source said.

“During the exchange and operation that lasted hours, the criminals were killed and their corpses have been handed to the police. Sadly, we lost one of the victims while five others were rescued alive and are now being taken care of,” according to the source.

Sources noted that the operation was a difficult one and praised the heroic efforts of the vigilante.

“It should be noted that based on what was observed during the operation, the criminal element had no issue causing us to lose all five (remaining) abducted victims. The professionalism of the groups involved in the operation limited the number of innocent lives lost in the operation. A life lost is one too many, but we thank God for the successful rescue of the other five innocent victims”, one of the sources observed.

He added that the government has, apart from supporting the conventional security networks, been investing in the local vigilante bodies to strengthen security of lives and properties in the state.

“The government has similarly established strong relationships with other states to boost security. I can also confirm that three Kwarans who were recently abducted in Kaduna State have been freed following discreet efforts of the state government, which swung into action once the issue was brought to its attention last week. Two of the abductees are students. As I speak to you, government is arranging their safe movement to Ilorin, the state capital,” the source added.

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