The Katsina State Police Command says it successfully prevented a kidnapping and livestock rustling attempt by bandits in Gidan-Maga village, Malumfashi Local Government Area, Katsina State.
According to the police, this was after a distress call was received at the Malumfashi Divisional Headquarters that armed bandits in their numbers, wielding AK 47 rifles, attacked the village, kidnapped ten residents and rustled about sixteen cows.
According to Police Spokesman ASP Abubakar Sadiq, the DPO Malumfashi mobilised officers and responded to the area, where they engaged the robbers in a heated gun duel.
He explained that the gallant team successfully foiled the attack and rescued all the kidnapped victims unhurt as well as recovering sixteen suspected rustled cows as the bandits fled the scene with various gunshot wounds.
The statement quoted the State Commissioner of Police, CP Aliyu Abubakar Musa, as commending the bravery and professionalism displayed by the operatives, reiterating the command’s commitment towards ensuring maximum safety and security of the good people of the state.
In a related development, the Command had in a swift rescue operation succeeded in foiling a kidnapping attempt at Unguwar Boka village along Funtua-Gusau Road in Faskari Local Government Area of the State.
The incident occurred yesterday at about 2350 hrs when a Golf III motor vehicle conveying three passengers en-route to Yan Kara village in the Local Government Council.
Upon reaching the scene, the bandits, having barricaded the road, opened fire on the moving motor vehicle in an attempt to force the driver to a stop with the intent to kidnap the occupants of the vehicle.
A rapid response patrol team patrolling the area led by DPO Faskari quickly responded to the scene, engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel, and successfully rescued the three (3) victims unhurt.
“The bandits, however, fled the scene with gunshot wounds. An investigation is currently ongoing with a view to identifying and arresting the fleeing suspects”, the statement added.