Katsina State Police Command has foiled a kidnapping attempt and rescued nine passengers after armed bandits attacked a commercial vehicle along the Katsina–Kankara road.
Gatekeepers News reports that the operation followed a swift response by security operatives who engaged the attackers in a gun battle and forced them to abandon most of their captives.
According to the police, the incident occurred at about 2:30 p.m. on June 12 at Tashar Kanya village in Kankara Local Government Area. The gunmen reportedly barricaded the highway and intercepted a red Volkswagen Golf saloon car conveying 11 passengers from Dandume to Katsina, abducting all those on board.
Police spokesperson DSP Abubakar Sadiq said the Divisional Police Officer in Kankara immediately mobilised operatives, including personnel from the Violent Crime Rescue Unit (VCRU), to the scene after receiving a distress call. The team tracked the kidnappers and engaged them in a fierce exchange of gunfire.
“The police team confronted the kidnappers in a fierce exchange of gunfire. Overwhelmed by the superior firepower and tactical strategy of the operatives, the bandits were forced to flee into the bush,” Sadiq said.
The operation led to the rescue of nine of the abducted passengers, while efforts are ongoing to locate and free the remaining victims.
Police said search-and-rescue operations have been intensified to ensure that all those still in captivity are safely recovered and that the suspects are brought to justice.
