The Katsina State Police Command says it has rescued 80 abducted pupils of Hizburrahim Islamiyya, an Islamic school in Mahuta, Dandume Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Katsina State, Gambo Isah revealed that a team of combined security operatives carried out the rescue mission on Saturday.
A statement issued on Sunday by Gambo Isah said the Islamiyya students were on their way back from a Maulud occasion at Unguwan-Alkasim, Dandume to Mahuta, when they were ambushed by bandits.
He said, “On 19/12/2020 about 2200hrs, a distress call was received by DPO Dandume that some Islamiyya students of Hizburrahim Islamiyya, Mahuta village, Dandume, Katsina state, numbering about 80, while on their way back from Maulud occasion celebrated at Unguwan-Alkasim, Dandume to Mahuta, were accosted by bandits.
”The bandits had already kidnapped four persons and rustled 12 cows from Danbaure village, Funtua, and were trying to escape with them into the forest.
“On receipt of the report, the DPO led Operations Puff Adder, Sharan Daji and Vigilante group to the area and engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel.”
The statement added that the team succeeded in dislodging the bandits and rescued all the kidnapped victims as well as recovered all the 12 rustled cows.
Isah explained that search parties are still combing the area to arrest the injured bandits or recover dead bodies while investigations are ongoing.
Recall that bandits had about a week ago abducted students of GSS school in the Kankara area of the state.
The students were released on Thursday night, following the intervention of security agents and a social-cultural organisation.
