The Secretary of Munya Local Government Area in Niger State, Daina Usman, who was kidnapped on Thursday night, has regained his freedom after managing to escape from his captors.
Council Chairman, Aminu Najumei, confirmed the development on Friday, revealing that Usman took advantage of a moment when the bandits were searching for a hiding place to flee.
Reports indicate that the attack occurred around 10 p.m. in Sarkin Pawa, where armed assailants stormed Usman’s residence near a riverbank.
The gunmen abducted him along with his wife, two children, and another individual before moving them towards the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, a notorious escape route for criminal elements in the region.
According to security sources, Sarkin Pawa has been a frequent target for bandit attacks, while Chikun serves as a known hideout for kidnappers.
Upon receiving a distress call, a joint security task force, comprising military personnel from the Forward Operating Base in Sarkin Pawa, tactical police units, and local vigilante groups, launched an operation to track the criminals and secure the victims’ release.
Confirming the abduction, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, stated that efforts were ongoing to rescue Usman’s wife and children.
“He was abducted around 10 p.m. but managed to escape early this morning at about 3 a.m. Efforts to rescue the remaining victims are still in progress,” Abiodun said in a brief WhatsApp message.