Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State on Tuesday received 23 abductees who were recently freed by the Nigerian Army.

The governor, speaking while receiving the abductees, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the security agencies for their support.

Abdulrazaq congratulated the victims on their freedom and promised continuous efforts to rid the state of criminal elements who were behind their abduction.

“We thank God that you were all freed following the pressure from the security forces,” he stated during the brief handover ceremony at the 22 Armoured Brigade Headquarters, Sobi, Ilorin, the state capital.

“We also thank the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his support and the Nigerian Army and other security agencies working together to achieve this success.

“We are glad to see 23 victims freed and presented today. We thank the Army and the Medical Centre here for looking after them since they were rescued.

“We have known their plights, and I assure that the government will support them in rehabilitation. The challenges we are going through, I can assure you, are temporary.

“Like the GoC has said, it is either they (criminals) leave Kwara or they die here. This is a state of harmony.”

Abdulrazaq appreciated the Army and the new Brigade Commander for the deployment of troops to the state, and pledged sustainable support to the Armed Forces.

“The GoC has been on the ground for the past two weeks, and since he came, we have seen the turnaround of the event. And we have seen the criminals leaving, with many of them arrested or terminated. Peace is now being restored to Kwara,” he added.

Abdulrazaq, who is the Chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum, NGF, said his administration will deploy forest guards immediately the Army finishes the clean-up operation in the affected areas to maintain peace and pave the way for the return of farming activities.

The governor was received by the Brigade Commander 22 Armoured Brigade Sobi, Brigadier General Nicholas Rume.

On the governor’s entourage were the Chairman, Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Alhaji Abdullateef Gidado Alakawa, and the Senior Special Assistant on Security Alhaji Muyideen Aliyu.

Brigadier General Rume, in his speech, acknowledged the support the troops have been receiving from the state government and pledged to continue to mount pressure on the criminals until they are rid of the whole of Kwara State.

“Your Excellency, I thank you very much once again and we do really appreciate your efforts because without that, a lot of operations that have been going on would not have been possible,” he said.

“We promise you that we will continue to do our best until these miscreants leave this area. Let me quote what the General Officer Commanding said when I arrived. His order is explicit. ‘It is either the bandits leave Kwara State or they die’. That is the only mandate I have, and I will continue to do my best with my officers to achieve that.”

Pastor Obafemi, a victim who recounted his ordeal, said it was a traumatic experience to be held against their will by the criminals.

He thanked the government and the security agencies for saving their lives.

“I thank the governor and the troops for the efforts which led to our rescue. God will give you enablement to press forward in this and overcome the people around us that are tormenting us,” Obafemi said.