The Katsina State Police Command has repelled separate attacks by suspected armed bandits in Kankia and Musawa local government areas, rescuing three kidnapped victims, recovering 12 rustled cows and neutralising one bandit.
The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu.
According to the statement, the first incident occurred at about 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday when suspected bandits attacked Fakuwa village in Kankia Local Government Area, kidnapping three residents and rustling about 12 cows.
The Divisional Police Officer in Kankia subsequently mobilised a combined team of police operatives and local vigilantes to pursue the attackers.
The security team reportedly intercepted the bandits and engaged them in a prolonged gun battle, forcing them to abandon their operation and flee into the forest with suspected gunshot injuries.
The three kidnapped victims—50-year-old Jamila Alti, 15-year-old Aisha Alti and 60-year-old Alhaji Dalladi—were rescued unharmed, while all 12 rustled cows were recovered.
The victims have since been reunited with their families, the police said.
In a separate incident at about 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, suspected bandits reportedly barricaded the Kiryoyi-Dangani Road in Musawa LGA.
The DPO Musawa mobilised a team of the Police’s VCRU operatives to the area following a distress call.
The operatives engaged the suspected bandits in a gun battle, forcing them to flee.
The police said a subsequent cordon-and-search operation led to the recovery of the body of one of the suspected bandits, with a machete found beside him.
The command said efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects.
Commissioner of Police Ali Umar Fage commended the operatives for their gallantry and professionalism during the operations.
He urged residents to continue providing the command with timely and credible information to assist security agencies in combating banditry and other criminal activities across the state.
