Bandits fleeing a security operation in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State on Thursday left behind 18 kidnap victims, after the Department of State Services, DSS, the military and local vigilantes blocked their planned attack on a farming community.
Traditional rulers in the area said the bandits were heading for Unguwan Hudu village in Kakumi Ward. They praised the security agencies and community guards for stopping what would have been another mass abduction in the council area.
A district head in Bakori LGA said the gang was allegedly led by one Rabiu and operated from the camp of Alhaji Musa Duki in Mununu Forest, Faskari LGA.
He said the operation started after the DSS received intelligence about the planned attack. Security operatives then sealed off the route the bandits were expected to use.
“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.
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He added that at least seven of the bandits were believed to have been shot, going by “the trail of blood along their fleeing path.”
One of the freed victims, 14-year-old Zainab Ashiru, was hit by a bullet. She is receiving treatment at the General Hospital, Bakori.
Second foiled attack in two weeks
Thursday’s operation came less than two weeks after security forces stopped bandits from kidnapping residents of Gidan Iyado, also in Kakumi Ward. In that operation, the state government said a joint team of the military, the DSS and the Katsina Community Watch Corps killed 18 bandits.
Another district head credited the successes to closer teamwork between security agencies, traditional institutions and local communities.
“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.
One of the traditional rulers said the recent operations showed the tide was turning against the bandits.
“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.
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