The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on Tuesday, August 26, handed over 128 rescued kidnap victims to their families in Abuja, marking a major breakthrough in ongoing counter-kidnapping operations across the country.
According to Ribadu, the victims – including men, women, and children – were freed in two separate operations carried out by security forces in Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State, a region long plagued by banditry and abductions.
He emphasised that the rescued individuals would receive medical attention and trauma care to aid their reintegration into society. “We will ensure that these victims are rehabilitated and properly settled in their communities,” Ribadu said, commending the security agencies for their swift action.
The NSA also issued a stern warning to criminal elements, stressing that there would be no reprieve for those behind such atrocities. “Let us take politics out of security challenges. The perpetrators will be hunted down and brought to justice,” he added.
Earlier, the National Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Major General Adamu Laka, revealed that one of the rescued children had died from illness, while a premature baby delivered during the operation is currently receiving medical care in an incubator.
NSA, Nuhu Ribadu hands over 100 rescued kidnap victims to their families pic.twitter.com/CxNvZx0of6
— NTANetwork (@NTANewsNow) August 26, 2025