By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos – The Plateau State Government, working closely with security agencies, has rescued 25 victims of kidnapping, most of them children, and formally handed them over to the Wase Local Government Council for reunification with their families.

The victims were abducted late last year along the Zak–Sabon Layi Road in the Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, the Secretary to the Government of the State (SGS), Samuel Jatau, expressed sorrow over the incident but gave thanks for the safe recovery of the victims.

He commended operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) for their professionalism, dedication and persistence, which he said were central to the successful rescue operation.

Jatau disclosed that the abductees consisted of six females and nineteen males, and explained that they were kidnapped on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at about 7:00 p.m. while travelling on tricycles to attend a Maulud celebration.

According to him, the kidnappers disguised themselves as vigilante operatives and mounted a fake roadblock, claiming to conduct routine security checks, and after stopping the travellers under the pretext of a search, the criminals forcibly took them to an undisclosed location.

However, sustained pressure and coordinated operations by the DSS, with the full backing of the Plateau State Government, eventually led to the rescue of the victims on Friday, January 9, 2026.

The SGS appreciated the DSS and other security agencies for their sacrifices and assured them of the State government’s continued support to strengthen efforts aimed at protecting lives and property across the state.

He reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Caleb Mutfwang to ensuring a peaceful, safe and inclusive Plateau State, adding that the government, through the Wase Local Government Council, would support the affected families and assist the victims to recover from the psychological trauma of their ordeal.