Terrorists Abduct Toddler, Seven Others in Fresh Katsina Attack

Police rescue two victims in Kwara

Francis Sardauna in Katsina  and Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Eight persons, including a three-month-old baby, have been abducted by terrorists who attacked Wagini Community in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

In another development,  the  Kwara State Police Commissioner, Mrs. Ebunoluwarotimi Adelesi, at the weekend said the men of the anti-kidnapping team of the state Police Command have rescued two of the four abducted victims at Isanlu-Isin and Ajara-Isin in Isin Local Government Area of the state.

It was learnt  in Katsina that the toddler was abducted alongside her mother when the armed hoodlums launched a fresh onslaught on the community on Saturday night.

A resident of the community, Abba Sani, confirmed the incident in a telephone  interview with THISDAY  last night.

He said the hoodlums invaded the community on several motorcycles with sophisticated weapons, shooting into the air and causing panic among residents.

He said: “At about 7.00 p.m on Saturday night, eight persons, including a three-month-old baby and her mother, were kidnapped by gunmen that we are suspecting to be terrorists.

“The attackers, who came on many motorcycles  wielding weapons and in large numbers, shot sporadically to scare residents. Later they entered house by house kidnapping children who were sleeping at that time.”

He explained that the majority of the abductees were children while two men who tried to resist the bandits’ invasion on the banditry-ravaged community were left with varying degrees of injuries.

He also noted that the terrorists had taken over most of the farmlands in Wagini and other neighbouring communities, thereby making it impossible for people to farm.

According to him, residents now helplessly pay taxes in cash to bandits or work on their farmlands in exchange for peace in Nahuta, Kasai, Zamfarawan Madogara and Batsarin Alhaji communities.

He therefore, called on security agencies and the government to take immediate action to enable the people of the communities to conduct their farming activities peacefully.

When contacted, the Spokesman of the state Police Command, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, said he was yet to be briefed on the incident by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Batsari local government.

He promised to investigate and call back but as of the time of filing this report there was no response  from him nor the state government on the incident.

Meanwhile,  the Kwara CP,Adelesi  said  the men of the anti-kidnapping team of the state Police Command have rescued two of the four abducted victims at Isanlu-Isin and Ajara-Isin in Isin Local Government Area of the state.

Adelesi made the disclosure in Ilorin while speaking with journalists on the efforts of the men of the Command to curb the activities of kidnappers in the state.

She said: “Unfortunate kidnapping incident took place in Isanlu-Isin on July 13, 2023, at about 1700 hours.

 “During the incident, the following victims were abducted between Ijara-Isin and  Isanlu-Isin, they are Dipe Ajayi,  Kunle Abolarin,  Femi Abolarin and Femi Ajayi, all of Oke-Aran, Isanlu-Isin.

“Acting on the directive, the Command’s anti-kidnapping unit stationed within the Isin axis, local hunters and vigilantes swung into action and gave the abductors a hot chase, leading to the abandonment of the Siena bus conveying the victims at the time of the incident, and one of the victims, Oke Olatunji, was rescued by the team.

“Also, today (Saturday), I personally led another special tactical team on a search-and-rescue operation into the forests within Isin, in the process, another victim, Femi Ajayi, with a bullet injury, was rescued and brought to the health centre in Isanlu-Isin, where he is currently receiving medical attention.”

Adelesi added: “I paid a visit to the palace of His Royal Highness, Oba Olugbenga Oloyede Solomon, the Olusin of Isanlu-Isin, where I met vigilantes, hunters and other community leaders, and issues affecting the area, in general, were discussed and strategies and plans were implemented to forestall any further ugly occurrences.

“Efforts are still being doubled to free the remaining victims and possibly arrest of the criminals.”

She, therefore, promised the people of the town to increase the number of officers in the police station to further enhance the safety and security of the people in the area.