Tinubu Hails Rescue of 308 Hostages, Harps on Stronger Early Warning Systems
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the successful rescue of 308 Nigerians abducted in separate attacks in Kwara and Niger states, describing the operation as a major milestone in the country’s counter-terrorism efforts.
The President also directed security agencies to strengthen early warning systems, improve community-based intelligence gathering and enhance rapid response capabilities to prevent future kidnappings and attacks.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the rescued victims comprised 163 persons abducted from Woro Community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State and 145 others from Niger State.
The victims were rescued from the Kainji Lake National Park Forest in New Bussa Local Government Area of Niger State during a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation led by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), with the support of personnel from the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force.
The Presidency described the mission as the largest rescue operation ever conducted by the joint security team in a single day.
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President Tinubu commended the leadership and personnel of the participating security agencies for their professionalism, courage and effective inter-agency collaboration, which he said made the successful operation possible.
“The successful execution of this intelligence-led operation demonstrates the growing efficiency and collaboration among our security services. I commend our gallant men and women in uniform for their bravery and unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigerian lives,” the President said.
According to the statement, the rescued victims are currently receiving first aid and essential medical treatment at the medical facility in Wawa Cantonment.
It added that after undergoing medical evaluations, the victims would be handed over to the governments of Kwara and Niger states for rehabilitation, further care and reunification with their families.
While celebrating the successful rescue, President Tinubu stressed the need to reinforce Nigeria’s security architecture by strengthening early warning mechanisms, expanding community-level intelligence gathering and improving rapid response capabilities to forestall similar incidents nationwide.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to eliminating security threats, protecting vulnerable communities and restoring lasting peace and security across the country.
By PRNigeria
