37 abducted victims who are mainly women and children have been rescued from bandits on Friday night in Katsina.

 They have been handed over to the state government for proper medical treatment.

The victims were abducted in last two weeks from various communities of Unguwar Malamai under Yantumaki District of Danmusa Local Government Area and Babban Duhu village in Safana Local Government Area of the state.

Farida Sani, one of the victims, revealed that she was kidnapped at Runka town in Safana Local Government Area of the state, nine days after her wedding.

She narrated that “When the Bandits attacked our town about two weeks ago, they met me inside the bedroom. Upon their arrival, they first abducted my companion (husband) and lastly visited my room where I was lying on the ground and woke me up. They then took us to their den. We spent 15 days there.

“During our stay, they were beating my husband and his other male counterparts but not me. The accommodation was not a room but an open place more of grasses and plants”.

In his statement to newsmen, Governor Aminu Masari’s Special Adviser on security, Mallam Ibrahim Katsina, said that 141 kidnap victims had so far been rescued since the government commenced a ‘Community-Based Initiative’ which involves security operatives and the Fulani community leaders.

He disclosed that the rehabilitation and integration of the rescued victims would be the next stage, afterwards, they can be reintegrated with their communities.

 “Medical doctors have also been brought in to examine the health status of the victims and psychologists will also talk to them and by extension, the state government will, in turn, give them some palliatives to start life in a better way,” Katsina said.

The Secretary to the state government, Dr Mustapha Inuwa, who also addressed the rescued victims on behalf of Governor Masari, urged them to see their experience as an act of God and be prayerful.

 He also implored residents of the state to continue to support security agencies in the ongoing efforts to tackle banditry, kidnapping and other related crimes.