No fewer than 30 kidnapped victims have been rescued by security team led by operatives of the Katsina police command in recent fierce gun battles with bandits in Dutsinma, Safana and Jibia local governments areas of the state.
The command’s spokesman, ASP Abubakar Aliyu confirmed the development in a statement on Thursday.
He explained that one of the locations where the security team had the gun battle with bandits was a spot between Dutsinma and Safana local government areas on Wednesday.
According to him, the security team had raided the bandits’ hideout in the location, rescuing seven victims in the process.
Aliyu gave details “In a swift and decisive rescue operation, the Katsina State Police Command raided a bandits’ hideout situated between Dutsinma and Safana LGAs today, August 21, 2024, rescuing seven (7) hostages kidnapped from two villages in Dutsinma LGA on August 17, 2024, and recovering one AK47 rifle.
“The intelligence-led operation, conducted by a combined team of police operatives attached to Dutsinma Police Divisional Headquarters and members of the Vigilante, led by the DPO, CSP Bello Abdullahi Gusau, was carried out at about 1.30 p.m.
“The rescued hostages, who were kidnapped from Farar Kasa and Shanga villages in Dutsinma LGA, were successfully rescued unharmed by the team and rushed to the nearest hospital for medical attention.
“Also, one AK47 rifle was recovered during the course of the operation. The investigation is still ongoing with a view to arresting the fleeing suspects.
“Similarly,on the same date at about 5 a.m, a distress call was received at the Jibia Divisional Police Headquarters that armed bandits in their numbers, armed with dangerous weapons such as the AK 47 rifle, shooting sporadically, concurrently attacked Jibian Maje, Nasarawa, and Lankwasau villages of Jibia LGA.
“Upon receipt of the report, the DPO Jibia mobilized teams of operatives and responded to the scene where the teams gallantly engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel.
“The teams successfully foiled all three attacks and rescued three (3) kidnapped victims. However, the victims were rushed to the hospital for medical attention as they sustained minor injuries due to the attack.
“Additionally, on August 20, 2024, at about 7.58 p.m, a distress call was received at the Malumfashi Divisional Headquarters that armed bandits in their numbers, wielding dangerous weapons, attacked Yaba village, Malumfashi LGA, kidnapped twenty (20) persons, and rustled five (5) cows.
“Upon receipt of the report, promptly, DPO Malumfashi marshaled a team of operatives and responded to the scene, where they intercepted the hoodlums at the outskirts of the village while trying to escape with their victims.
“The team valorously engaged the hoodlums in a gun and succeeded in foiling the attack, rescuing all the kidnapped victims and recovering the rustled animals as the hoodlums escaped the scene with various degrees of bullet wounds. Efforts are being intensified to ensure the arrest of the fleeing suspects as the investigation proceeds.”
Aliyu further revealed that the state Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Musa, while commending the exceptional act of valor displayed by the operatives, reiterated the command’s commitment towards ensuring a safer Katsina State.
He further urged the good people of the state to continue to support the command as well as other security agencies with accurate and timely information so as for the command to take decisive action against all acts of crime and criminality in the state.
