The IGP in a statement on Thursday noted that a joint massive search and rescue mission involving the Police, the Military, and other law enforcement agencies is ongoing to ensure that all abducted persons are rescued unhurt and reunited with their families.

To give impetus to the rescue operation, the IGP ordered the deployment of additional tactical, intelligence, and investigative assets of the Force including four (4) units of Police Mobile Force (PMF) attached to Operation Puff Adder II, one (1) Unit of Police Special Forces, personnel of the Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU) and operatives from the Force Intelligence Bureau and the Force Criminal Investigations Department. One (1) Police aerial surveillance helicopter has also been deployed.

The police component of the search and rescue operation is being coordinated by the Commissioner of Police, Niger State who is effectively harnessing all the deployed resources and working in sync with the Military and other law enforcement agents in ensuring an intelligence-driven, focused, and result-oriented ground and aerial surveillance in the rescue operations and to bring the perpetrators to book.

The Inspector-General of Police, while calling for calm, enjoined members of the community to provide the Force and the security community with useful, relevant, and timely information that can assist in the ongoing search and rescue operations.