No fewer than 29 villagers that were abducted from Kuchi in Munya local government area of Niger state on Thursday night have been rescued unhurt by men of the special force code named special hunters assisted by the local vigilantes.

They were rescued after about two hours of operation with heavy gun battle between the bandits and the special hunters at the bank of river Shiroro where the bandits were stranded with their victims due to the heavy down pour forcing the water level to rise.

Recalled that about 50 villagers were abducted at about 1:00am on Thursday when the gunmen invaded the community, moving from house to house waking up their victims and Match them into the bush. The majority of those kidnapped were women and children

Although 50 people were initially abducted, 20 (all men) escaped midway into the journey while and 22 others made up of women and children were taking away by their captors but got stranded at the river bank because they could not cross.

However, men of the special hunters that were stationed at Galkogo in Shiroro local government area, assisted by the local vigilantes from Sarkin Pawa, all 100 in number swung into action and went after the bandits.

According to a source close to Kuchi community, the special hunters divided themselves into two groups with one group attacking the bandits from Galkogo end while another group comprising mainly the local vigilantes invaded the bush from Sarkin Pawa end.

This Strategies adopted by the special hunters is to avoid being ambushed by the gunmen, and this paid off as the gunmen were said to have taken to their hills when they got wind that they were being trailed from different direction by the security people, abandoning their victims.

It was gathered that luck however ran out of them when they ran towards the direction of one of the group of special hunters from Galkogo end and were engaged in a fierce gun battle which last about two hours.

Scores of the gunmen were neutralized while no casualty was recorded on the part of the special hunters. All the 29 victims, including four other captives that were in the custody of the gunmen, having been Kidnapped earlier from another community were rescued and have reunited with their family members in Kuchi amidst wild jubilation.

A resident of Kuchi community, Mallam Mohammed Kuchi who spoke was full of appreciation and gratitude to the men of the special hunters and the local vigilantes for their efforts in the rescue of the victims, urging government to support them in their fight against “these enemies of the people.” (Saturday Sun)

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