The Katsina State Police Command says it has succeeded in killing six kidnappers and rescued 18 passengers, including 13 prospective corps members abducted on their way to the National Youth Service Corps Orientation Camp in Zamfara State.
The Commissioner of Police, Sanusi Buba, said those rescued were kidnapped along Funtua-Gusau Road, Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Buba, who spoke through the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isah, during a press briefing on Wednesday in Katsina, said the victims were abducted on Monday at about 11:30pm.
He said: “On March 9, 2020 at about 23:30 hours, bandits in their numbers, armed with AK 47 rifles, blocked Funtua–Gusau road, Funtua local government of Katsina state, stopped an 18-seater bus with registration number ANK 72 XA, and kidnapped all the 18 passengers comprising 13 potential NYSC members and five others.
“The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Makera Division and the joint security patrol team responded to the distress call and arrived timely at the scene.
“On arrival, the team searched into the nearby forest and rescued 14 passengers made up of nine would-be NYSC corps members and five other passengers.
“Four potential corps members and one other passenger were whisked away by the fleeing bandits.
“The search party led by the Police and Nigerian Army in collaboration with repentant bandits went after the bandits up to Doka forest in Faskari local government area of Katsina State.
“Subsequently, today March 11, 2020 at about 09:00 hours, the team succeeded in locating the camp of the kidnappers, engaged them into a fierce gun duel that led to the killing of six kidnappers and rescued the remaining four would-be corps members and the other person.”
Isah further said the team recovered one AK 47 rifle, one LAR rifle, seven rounds 7.62mm and 12 rounds of 7.67mm ammunitions from the bandits. The Commissioner said all the prospective corps members have been moved to the Zamfara State NYSC camp in Tsafe.
