Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, says President Bola Tinubu’s administration has rescued over 600 persons abducted and languishing in bandits den for two to three years under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime.

“On banditry, from July to now, we’ve got over 600 kidnapped victims back home. Some of them were in captivity for 2 to 3 years. We got over 600 of them released without noise,” Mr Ribadu said in a viral video posted on X on Friday.

“Today, you can drive from Abuja to Kaduna even at night. Thank you, Armed Forces, for that. Things are changing. But we do not talk. Things are improving.”

Mr Tinubu assumed office on May 29, succeeding his party man, Mr Buhari, who led the country between 2015 and 2023, covering the three years Mr Ribadu said many were in bandits’ captivity.

In June, Peoples Gazette reported that over 200 persons were killed in different coordinated attacks by Boko Haram, bandits and unknown gunmen across the country in Mr Tinubu’s first month in office.  

Contrary to Mr Ribadu’s claim on improved insecurity, in November, armed bandits kidnapped at least 100 people after invading some villages in Katsina State and the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.   

Last week, Katsina governor Dikko Radda cried out that bandits have occupied many schools, converting them to their dens in the state.