…as Idris commends security agencies
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, on Sunday, applauded the rescue of two Kaduna-based journalists who were abducted from their homes on the outskirts of the city penultimate Saturday.
Recall that two journalists, Abdulgafar Alabelewe of The Nation and AbdulRaheem Aodu of Blueprint newspaper, along with their wives and children, were set free by bandits on Saturday night.
A large number of The bandits had invaded the Dahono Community in the Millennium City area of Chikun Local Government Area, where they kidnapped the two journalists and their family members.
Alabelewe is also the current Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Kaduna State.
Idris, while receiving the journalists and their family members from the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, according to a statement on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media, Rabiu Ibrahim, commended security agencies for the swift rescue of the kidnapped victims.
He expressed sympathy to the two families and encouraged Nigerians to maintain trust in President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the security agencies.
The statement partly read, “We are most grateful for what you have done. We are aware that this is part of your ongoing effort to ensure that all kidnapped victims are rescued alive and reunited with their families.
“I want to urge Nigerians to keep faith with the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and our security agencies. The security agencies under the coordination of the NSA are working tirelessly to ensure that all those who have been taken into unlawful custody are freed without paying any ransom.”
The statement added that earlier, NSA Ribadu stated that the five victims were rescued due to a coordinated effort by security agencies, resulting in a swift search and rescue operation.
The statement added, “Responding, one of the rescued victims, Alabelewe thanked the NSA and his team for the swift intervention.
“The rescue mission which brought us out of the bush yesterday gave us hope in our country and gave us confidence to believe that the government is serious about tackling this problem of kidnapping. I never thought that within a week of our kidnap, we could get out.
“We are grateful that the government swung into action and ensured that we were released.”
