Police Say 35 Rescued as Bandits Abduct 45 from Katsina Mosque

•Abdulsalami debunks alleged link with terrorists

By Francis Sardauna in Katsina and Dipo Laleye in Minna

There was outrage among residents of Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State yesterday as bandits abducted 45 worshippers observing the midnight prayer for Ramadan at Angwan Kwata Mosque in the area.

The marauding bandits, according to residents, stormed the mosque at 1 am and whisked away the victims to an unknown destination.

But the police said they had rescued 35 of the victims while 10 were still with the bandits.

The incidence occurred as a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, debunked alleged link with terrorists and bandits.

When THISDAY visited Angwan Kwata yesterday, it was gathered that the bandits, during the raid on the mosque, directed the Imam to end the prayer session before kidnapping the people.

However, residents slammed security agencies and the state government, saying the abduction of the congregants raised questions about the capacity of the government and security agents to tackle banditry and other forms of insecurity.

The residents, in separate interviews with THISDAY, accused the security agencies of culpability in the unending banditry and kidnapping in the area, saying security agencies don’t respond to distress calls.

A community leader in the area, who craved anonymity, said: “The bandits abducted 45 worshippers and injured many others. Some of the victims are in Jibia General Hospital now receiving treatment.”

He accused the state government and security agencies of failing to secure the lives and property of the people.

Zaharadeen Umar, whose younger sister, Halimatu, was among those kidnapped, told THISDAY that the bandits kidnapped no fewer than 45 worshippers and injured two others who were trying to escape.

Umar said: “This morning (Monday) at 1 am, we were praying inside the mosque when bandits came and started shouting that ‘every everybody should stand, whoever runs will be killed.’ I saw a young boy that is not up to my younger brother’s age with AK-47.

“They kidnapped our brothers, wives, and younger ones, including my 20-year-old younger sister, Halimatu. From our findings, the bandits kidnapped 45 people in the mosque. None of the security personnel came to our rescue during the attack till after one hour before they came.”
He debunked the police report that they rescued some of the kidnapped victims, saying all the victims are still in captivity.

He, however, said efforts were being made by some residents in synergy with a vigilante group to rescue the abductees.

He added: “The police did not come to this place until 2 am when all the bandits had left with our people. When they came, they entered the mosque and packed the shoes of those kidnapped, and took them to their office. So, they did not even rescue a chicken from this place.”

Another worshipper, who survived the attack but sustained injuries on his head and left hand, Muhammadu Bello, said the bandits operated for more than two hours.

He, however, could not ascertain the number of kidnapped victims because he fled the scene.

He said: “The bandits met us in the mosque and asked us to follow them but I told them I will not follow them. So, one of them hit me with his gun on my head. One of them also injured me with something on my left hand; so, I started running to town.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Gambo Isah, a superintendent of police, confirmed the abduction of the 45 worshippers in a telephone interview with THISDAY.

But he said the police, in synergy with other security agencies, had rescued 35 of them.

According to him, efforts are being made to rescue the remaining victims.

He said: “Yes, there was an attack on a Jibia mosque this morning (Monday) and 45 worshippers were kidnapped, but we have rescued 35 of the kidnapped victims. Efforts are also on to rescue the remaining people.”

Abdulsalami Debunks Alleged Link with Terrorists, Bandits

Meanwhile, a former Head of State, Gen. Abubakar Abdulsalami, has denied any link with any terrorist or bandit group.

Abubakar, in a statement made available yesterday to journalists in Minna, Niger State, by his media aide, Dr. Yakubu Sulaiman, described
the claim of his having such link as: “false unfounded and fake news.”

His clarification came against the backdrop of a report on the alleged arrest of a helicopter allegedly belonging to him for supplying food and weapons to terrorists and bandits in parts of the country.

Abdulsalami said he did not own such a helicopter.

He disassociated himself from what he described as such “a heinous crime that is unbecoming of any patriotic citizen,” saying he would have ignored such spurious reports but had to set the record straight.
“This kind of fake news has the potential of aggravating the already tensed security situation in the country and should not be condoned,” he said.

He regretted that individuals could be so “callous to peddle such news and smear the image and character of people.”

“I urge Nigerians to ignore such treacherous acts and be careful with the kind of information being dished out and shared on the social media,” he stated.

He urged Nigerians to continue to work and pray for enduring peace in Nigeria, stressing that no nation can attain greatness without peace and security of lives and property of its citizens.