AS the nation continues to witness increased insecurity, the police at the weekend rescued a 70-year-old man in a foiled abduction attempt at Kabobi village in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Other persons rescued in the thwarted attack were a 13-year-old girl, three 12-year old girls, all from Garin Inu village, and another 20-year-old girl and her two children residing at Turaku Quarters in the same LGA.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Gambo Isah, in a statement, confirmed the incident, stressing that the bandits, who were on motorbikes, attacked and abducted all occupants of a Volkswagen Passat vehicle, pushing the victims into the forest.
The assailants, according to Isah, were armed with AK 47 weapons. The foiled attack happened on Friday.
“On Friday, July 23, 2021, at about 14:30hrs, bandits in their numbers, on motorbikes, armed with AK 47 rifles, blocked Jibia-Batsari road, exactly at Kabobi village, Batsari LGA.
“On receipt of the report, DPO Batsari-led teams of Operation Puff Adder and Sharan Daji to the area and engaged them into a gun duel, and successfully rescued eight of the victims.
“Those rescued include a 70-year-old man, 13-year-old girl, three 12-year-old girls, all from Garin Inu village, Batsari LGA of Katsina state.
“Another 20-year-old girl, and her two children, all from Turaku Quarters in Batsari LGA of Katsina state,” the statement read.
This is not the first time an abduction would be happening in Katsina, President Muhammadu Buhari’s state of origin. In December 2020, over 300 pupils were abducted from their school by gunmen. They were released thereafter.
In March, three secondary school students from Community Secondary School (Day School), Runka town, Safana Local Government Area of the state were also unlawfully taken after closing of school activities.
Nigerians have also witnessed scores of kidnappings, abductions, and killings under the current administration, a situation that has generated intense discussions among the people.
While Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) Audu Ogbeh, a former minister of agriculture and rural development, called for the establishment of a ministry of the future as a possible solution against restiveness, the leader of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo George Obiozor suggested fair representation of the ethnic groups making up the entity called Nigeria. This, he said, would create a sustainable solution.
On the other hand, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese Mathew Kukah blamed the growing insecurity on the president’s alleged nepotism and indecisiveness to arrest and prosecute perpetrators.
However, Isah disclosed that the search parties were still ongoing as part of efforts to arresting the fleeing bandits and to rescue the remaining three missing persons.
He noted that investigation was still ongoing on the case.
Olugbenga heads the Investigations Desk at The ICIR. Do you have a scoop? Shoot him an email at oadanikin@icirnigeria.org. Twitter Handle: @OluAdanikin