Police Rescue 30 Victims, Recover AK-47 Rifle from Kidnappers in Katsina

Francis Sardauna in Katsina and Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Katsina State Police Command has announced the rescue of 30 kidnapped victims and recovered one AK-47 rifle after raiding terrorists’ enclaves and foiling various kidnap attempts in Dutsinma, Safana, Jibia and Malumfashi Local Government Areas of the state.

The Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Abubakar Aliyu, in a statement issued yesterday said seven of the victims were rescued after raiding the terrorists’ hideouts between Dutsinma and Safana on August 17, while three were freed after foiling kidnap attempt on Jibian-Maje in Jibia LGA.

He explained that 20 persons who were kidnapped at Yaba village in Malumfashi Local Government Area on August 20 were also rescued after a fierce gun duel between the police operatives and the marauding hoodlums.

The statement read in part: “In a swift and decisive rescue operation, the Katsina State Police Command raided a bandits’ hideout situated between Dutsinma and Safana LGAs on August 21, rescuing seven hostages kidnapped from two villages in Dutsinma LGA on August 17 and recovering one AK-47 rifle.

“The intelligence-led operation conducted by a combined team of police operatives attached to Dutsinma Police Divisional headquarters and members of vigilante led by the DPO, CSP Bello Abdullahi Gusau, was carried out at about 1330 hours.

“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 AK-47 rifle was recovered during the course of the operation. The investigation is still ongoing with a view to arresting the fleeing suspects.”

It added: “In a similar date at about 0005 hours, a distress call was received at the Jibia Divisional Police headquarters that 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 mobilised 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 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 1958 hours, 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 20 persons, and rustled five cows. Upon receipt of the report, promptly, DPO Malumfashi marshalled 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.”

He, however, said efforts were being intensified by operatives of the Command to ensure the arrest of the fleeing terrorists.