We‘re Making Efforts To Ensure Safe Return Of Kurmin Wali Kindap Victims, DHQ Assures Families

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has assured families of Kurmin Wali kidnap victims of military efforts to ensure their safe return.

LEADERSHIP reports that about 177 persons, including a large number of worshippers, were kidnapped from three churches in the village last Sunday.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, in a statement, said the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) duly acknowledged the apprehensions expressed by displaced residents of Kurmin Wali in Kajuru local government area of Kaduna State, regarding the ongoing endeavours to secure the release of their abducted family members.

“The AFN seeks to reassure the affected communities and the general public that the safe rescue and reintegration of all kidnapped victims remains a paramount undertaking,” he said.

He said contrary to assertions, the military was working in close collaboration with other security agencies “executing sustained, intelligence driven operations within the vicinity and surrounding forested areas believed to harbour the perpetrators.”

He added that these operations encompassed a strategic amalgamation of ground patrols, surveillance, intelligence gathering, and targeted initiatives meticulously designed to locate the kidnappers and secure the hostages without jeopardising their safety.

The spokesman said the Armed Forces recognised the distress and trepidation experienced by the affected families, adding that operational restraint in certain instances was a deliberate strategy, guided by the imperative to safeguard the captives and avert unintended harm.

He said, “while specific operational details must remain confidential for security considerations, substantial efforts are underway to dismantle the criminal networks responsible for the abductions.”

He assured that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain unwavering in its mandate to protect lives and property and was steadfastly committed to reuniting the kidnap victims of Kurmin Wali with their families.

He, therefore, appealed for sustained public support, patience, and cooperation as operations advanced toward a successful resolution.