NAF
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Special forces under the 271 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Detachment, Kaduna State, rescued seven Chinese nationals who were kidnapped by terrorists earlier this year.

NAF's Director of Public Relations & Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, disclosed in a statement that the operation was conducted at night in the Kanfani Doka and Gwaska general areas on Saturday

The Chinese expatriates were kidnapped in June 2022 while working on a mining site in Ajata-Aboki, Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State.

Gabkwet revealed that the rescue operation, consisting of 35 Special Forces, forced the terrorists to hastily abandon their safe havens, leaving behind weapons and any captives they had as they fled for their lives.

After being rescued, two of the Chinese nationals were stabilized at the 271 NAF Detachment Medical Centre before being flown to the NAF Base Medical Hospital in Kaduna for further medical investigations.

Gabkwet said that the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, congratulated the Commander of the 271 NAF Detachment, Birnin Gwari, and his men for their continued efforts against terrorism.

"I am very proud of what our Special Forces in Birnin Gwari and elsewhere have continued to achieve and I remain confident that we will soon free all areas of terrorists and their activities," the statement quoted the CAS as saying.

Nigeria unfortunately ranks high among the world's kidnapping hotspots. In the first half of 2020, over 3,000 people were kidnapped in the country. The figure for January 2022 was reported as 571.

In May, the head of the Methodist Church in Nigeria was kidnapped by gunmen in Abia State.

The practice has become increasingly common among the bandits and terrorists of northern Nigeria, militants and cultists in the Niger Delta as well as the ritual killers of the western and eastern parts of the country.

Statistics reveal that approximately US$18 million was paid in ransom between January 2011 and March 2020.

Sometimes terrorists have also abducted school children in large numbers. A report by UNICEF found that 1,436 children were abducted in Nigeria in 2021.

"So far this year, there have been 20 attacks on schools in Nigeria, with 1,436 children abducted and 16 children dead. More than 200 children are still missing," the statement read.