Plateau govt rescues 25 abducted travellers, reunites them with families

The Plateau State Government has rescued 25 people, most of them children, who were kidnapped along the Zak–Sabon Layi Road in Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area, and handed them over to the local council for reunification with their families.

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The rescue was disclosed in a statement by the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the governor, Gyang Bere, who said the operation was carried out in collaboration with security agencies, leading to the victims’ release on Friday.

Briefing journalists during the handover ceremony, the Secretary to the State Government, Samuel Jatau, said the victims were kidnapped on Sunday, 21 December 2025, at about 7 p.m., while travelling to attend a Maulud celebration.

According to him, the abductors disguised themselves as vigilante operatives and mounted a fake roadblock, stopping the victims’ tricycles under the pretext of conducting routine security checks.

“After stopping them for what appeared to be a normal search, the criminals whisked them away to an unknown destination,” Mr Jatau said.

He said sustained and coordinated pressure by the State Security Service (SSS), with support from the state government, led to the safe rescue of the victims. The group comprised six females and 19 males, he added.

Mr Jatau said the state government would support the affected families through the Wase Local Government Council to help the victims recover from the psychological impact of their captivity.

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Part of a wider security challenge

The rescue follows a series of kidnapping incidents in Plateau State in recent months.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that at least 28 travellers were abducted in the Zak community, Bashar District of Wase LGA, in December while travelling to Sabon Layi for a religious event.

Security agencies later said investigations had begun, amid growing concern over the use of fake roadblocks by criminal groups.

The newspaper also reported that on 1 January, troops of the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army and the Joint Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace, foiled a planned attack on communities in Wase, killing five suspected bandits during an intelligence-led ambush.

READ ALSO: 28 travellers kidnapped in Plateau community

In another operation on 5 January, troops rescued a retired army officer, Colonel Ajanaku (retd.), who had been abducted from his residence in Bassa Local Government Area, without the payment of ransom.

Despite these operations, residents across Wase and neighbouring local government areas have continued to raise concerns over repeated kidnappings and attacks along major rural roads, calling for sustained security patrols and improved intelligence to prevent further incidents.