The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency of Taraba State, Mukhtar Galadima, has commended the military and other security agencies for rescuing 18 kidnapped victims in Ibi Local Government Area of the state.
Galadima, in a statement reacting to the development, described the operation as a major boost to efforts to restore peace and confidence in communities threatened by kidnapping and other criminal activities.
He specifically praised troops of Sector 3 deployed in Ibi for their swift response to reports of kidnapping at Kwatan Bajji in the early hours of August 18, which led to the recovery of the victims.
The PDP candidate said the successful operation should reassure residents of Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency that the nation’s security forces remain committed to protecting lives and property and to confronting criminal elements operating in the area.
He congratulated the rescued victims and their families, urging security agencies not to relent until all criminal networks responsible for attacks in the area are identified and brought to justice.
Galadima, however, called for stronger collaboration among the military, police, and other security and intelligence agencies, particularly in intelligence gathering and information sharing.
According to him, effective intelligence remains critical to preventing attacks, tracking criminal networks, and disrupting their operations before they can unleash violence on communities.
He also advocated stronger legislative and institutional support for the Armed Forces and other security agencies to improve their operational and intelligence-gathering capabilities.
Galadima said the government must invest more in modern surveillance equipment, intelligence infrastructure, logistics, and the welfare of security personnel to enable them to confront emerging security threats effectively.
He stressed that security operations should move beyond responding to attacks after they occur to developing a proactive system capable of detecting criminal movements and preventing attacks before they happen.
The candidate also urged residents of Wukari/Ibi to support security agencies by providing timely and credible information on suspicious activities in their communities.
He appealed to traditional rulers, community leaders, youths, and other residents to strengthen cooperation with security agencies, noting that community-based intelligence could play a crucial role in preventing kidnapping and other crimes.
Galadima cautioned residents against withholding useful information out of fear, stressing that early reporting of suspicious movements could prevent crimes and save lives.
He also urged security agencies to protect the identities of credible informants and strengthen confidence in community intelligence networks.
While commending the Federal Government for supporting security operations, Galadima said that sustained investment in security personnel, equipment, intelligence and operational capacity remained essential to achieving lasting peace in Taraba State.
He expressed optimism that stronger inter-agency cooperation, improved legislation, community participation and sustained government support would significantly reduce kidnapping and other forms of crime across Wukari, Ibi and other vulnerable communities in the state.