ByTHE Katsina State Police command said it rescued about 20 victims in two kidnap attempts by armed bandits in the state on Saturday, December 7.

The incidents took place in Jibia and Faskari Local Government Areas (LGAs), the command posted on its X handle on Sunday, December 8.

The first incident occurred on December 7, 2024, at about 1900 hours, at Kwanar Makera along the Katsina–Magamar Jibia road, Jibia LGA.

According to the police public relations officer, Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, a group of bandits, armed with dangerous weapons, AK-47 rifles, opened fire on a moving vehicle.

“The command’s operatives, who were alerted to the situation, quickly mobilised and stormed the scene, engaging the bandits in a fierce gun duel.

“Due to superior firepower, the bandits abandoned their heinous plan as they flee the scene, and all the passengers were successfully rescued,” he said.

Aliyu added that all 10 occupants in the vehicle were successfully rescued unhurt.I

In a similar incident, on the same date at about 20:30 hours, at Marabar Bangori, along the Funtua-Gusau road, Faskari LGA, suspected armed bandits laid ambush on a vehicle conveying passengers, attempting to abduct the occupants.

According to Aliyu, the operatives of the command attached to the Jibia divisional police headquarters, acting on a tip-off, swiftly responded and engaged the bandits in a gun duel, forcing them to abandon their mission and flee the scene with a gunshot.

The state commissioner of police, Aliyu Abubakar Musa, who commended the personnel, charged them to sustain the tempo in the ongoing fight against all forms of crime and criminality in the state.

According to the command, one of the rescued victims was rushed to the hospital due to severe assault inflicted on him by the assailants.

“The victim is currently responding to medical attention,” the command stated.

There has been a series of kidnap attempts and rescue missions by the security forces in Katsina.

In one of its most recent publications, The ICIR reported security forces, comprising the Police and Army rescued four kidnap victims in Dandume Local Government of Katsina State.