Following the abduction and rescue of 80 Islamic students in Katsina State, the police have stated that the students have been rescued by security operatives.
It was gathered that the students who were returning from an Islamic occasion when they ran into the bandits who had already kidnapped four persons on Saturday night.
All the victims, however, have been rescued by security operatives following a distress call.
The security operatives swiftly moved in and tackled the bandits, leading to the rescue of the students and the four other victims.
According to the spokesman for the Katsina Police Command, Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident, adding that investigation had commenced and that there was no casualty during the gun duel.
His statement read in part, “On December 19, 2020, around 10 pm, a distress call was received by DPO Dandume, that some Islamiyya Students of Hizburrahim Islamiyya, Mahuta village, Dandume LGA of Katsina State, numbering about 80, while on their way back from Maulud occasion celebrated at Unguwan Alkasim village, Dandume to Mahuta village, were accosted by bandits, who had already kidnapped four persons and rustled 12 cows from Danbaure village, Funtua LGA, trying to escape into the forest.
“On receipt of the report, the DPO led Operations Puff Adder, Sharan Daji and vigilante group to the area and engaged the bandits into a fierce gun duel. Subsequently, the teams succeeded in dislodging the bandits and rescued all the 84 kidnapped victims and recovered all the 12 rustled cows. Search parties are still combing the area with a view to arresting the injured bandits and/or recovering their dead bodies. An investigation is ongoing.”
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters said troops of the Operation Hadarin Daji and the police laid an ambush for the bandits but gave the number of the abducted female students as 39.
Source: Punch
