Police save three kidnapped teenage boys in Zamfara

Three teenage boys who were reportedly kidnapped have been saved from the Bingi Forest area in Maru Local Government Area by the Zamfara State Police Command.

The command's spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar, shared this news in a statement on Tuesday. He said the boys were rescued while they were wandering in the forest during a joint security patrol.

The police say the rescued boys are Yusuf Ibrahim, 15; Basiru Yusuf, 17; and Mubarak Ibrahim, 18.

The statement said, "The Zamfara State Police Command, in its ongoing efforts to free all persons held captive and discourage ransom payments to bandits, has increased surveillance and patrols across the state. This has led to another successful rescue operation."

"On May 31, 2026, at around 1:00 p.m., a joint patrol team made up of the Motorcycle Patrol Unit of the 42 Police Mobile Force, the Violent Crime Response Unit, and members of the Community Protection Guard were on patrol in the risky Bingi Forest area. They found and rescued three boys wandering in the forest."

During questioning, the boys explained that they were kidnapped in February 2026 from Marabe Village in the Kwaren Ganuwa District of Tsafe Local Government Area. They said they managed to escape from their captors and were found by the security team during the patrol.

The police said the boys were taken to a government hospital for medical care before they were released.

"After that, they were handed over to the Executive Chairman of Maru Local Government Area, Hon. Muhammad Bello Jabaka, to be reunited with their families," the statement said.

The police reiterated their commitment to restoring peace and security in the state. They urged residents to keep providing timely and useful information to security agencies to help in the fight against crime.

This rescue comes as worries grow about the kidnapping of children in various parts of the country.