Traditional rulers in Katsina State have commended the military, Department of State Services (DSS) and local vigilante groups for foiling an attempt by armed bandits to abduct residents in Bakori Local Government Area.
Gatekeepers News reports that the latest operation took place in Unguwan Hudu village, Kakumi Ward, where security operatives reportedly disrupted the planned abduction and rescued 18 victims held by the bandits.
The development came less than two weeks after security forces foiled another mass abduction attempt in Gidan Iyado, also in Kakumi Ward, Bakori LGA.
The Katsina State Government had earlier disclosed that 18 bandits were killed during the operation by a combined team of the military, DSS and the Community Watch Corps.
Speaking on Thursday, the district head of a major town in Bakori LGA thanked the security agencies and local vigilantes for their continued efforts to protect communities in the area.
“We thank the Almighty Allah for the continued collaboration amongst the security agencies, traditional institutions and local communities. This has helped to stop criminal elements from attacking farming communities in our domain,” he said.
Another district head said the latest attack was allegedly led by a bandit known as Rabiu, operating from the camp of Alhaji Musa Duki in Mununu Forest, Faskari LGA.
According to him, the bandits attempted to abduct residents of Unguwan Hudu after moving into Kakumi Ward, but their plan was disrupted following intelligence received by the DSS.
The intelligence prompted security operatives to block the route being used by the bandits.
“Apparently suspecting that a security operation had cordoned off their attack route to the town, the bandits aborted their mission and fled. In the process, they abandoned 18 kidnap victims in their custody. The victims comprised 14 females and four males, including children and toddlers,” he said.
He added that security personnel found a trail of blood along the route used by the fleeing bandits, suggesting that some of them may have been wounded during the operation.
“From the trail of blood along their fleeing path, it is believed that at least seven of the fleeing bandits sustained gunshot injuries,” he said.
He also disclosed that one of the rescued victims, 14-year-old Zainab Ashiru, sustained a gunshot injury and was admitted to the General Hospital, Bakori.
The latest operation followed the earlier attempt to abduct residents of Gidan Iyado, Kakumi Ward, which security forces also successfully disrupted.
One of the traditional rulers described the recent operations as encouraging, saying they demonstrated the growing cooperation between security agencies and community-based security groups.
“We are happy with this string of successful operations. Apart from the fact that it is turning the tide against these criminals, it shows the growing collaboration between security agencies and community-based security groups to disrupt the activities of criminal elements operating across communities in Katsina State,” he said.
