Some troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued a total of 31 passengers who were kidnapped by some gunmen along the Apata-Obajana road on the night of Thursday, May 8.

The kidnapped victims were rescued by the troops in a joint operation with operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and some local hunters.

A counter-terrorism expert, Zagazola Makama, said that four of the rescued victims sustained various degrees of machete wounds.

Makama also stated that one of the victims was hit by a bullet in the left thigh.

He added that all those injured have been evacuated and taken to the hospital for medical care.

Makama said, “Efforts are ongoing to rescue the remaining seven abducted persons have been intensified.”

The passengers were reportedly kidnapped by the gunmen at about 11.50 pm on Thursday when two Toyota Hiace buses were attacked.

It was gathered that the buses were travelling from Lagos to Kano when the gunmen ambushed them.

“The first bus with registration number DTF 773 XA, driven by Saminu Yahaya, was heading to Kano with 17 passengers, while the second, with registration number KNA 170 XA, driven by Bashir Dahiru, was en route to Katsina with another 17 passengers.

“A distress alert was received from a local hunter, prompting a swift response by the troops who engaged the assailants in a fierce gun duel, which forced the attackers to abandon 31 of the 38 victims and flee into the forest,” Makama stated.