At least 187 villagers who were reportedly kidnapped by criminal gangs have been rescued by police in north-west Nigeria.
The villagers were said to have been kidnapped from their homes.
Local media reports monitored by African Entertainment say the villagers had spent several weeks in captivity.
Police spokesman Mohammed Shehu stated that the villagers – including young and elderly people, nursing mothers and infants – were freed by security forces following an operation in Tsibiri forest in Zamfara state.