Nigeria's government forces rescue 9 kidnapped people

ABUJA, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's government forces have rescued nine kidnapped people during their recent raids on the gunmen hideouts in the country's northwest, the military said Saturday.

Benard Onyeuko, acting spokesman for Nigeria's defense headquarters, told reporters that the nine people were rescued on Thursday when the government troops raided the hideouts of a group of gunmen in Gando, a town in the northwestern Zamfara State, based on information from the military intelligence.

The seven males and two females rescued have been reunited with their families, he said.

There have been another 22 kidnapped people recently rescued from gunmen's hideouts in the neighboring states of Katsina, Kebbi, and Sokoto, sources told Xinhua.