*Police Rescue 100 Kidnapped Victims
NO fewer than five persons were killed and several others injured in two separate attacks by suspected bandits in Katsina State on Friday, April 5.
While the first attack occurred midnight at Tuge village in Musawa Local Council, the second happened about 1.30pm at the Yantumaki market in Danmusa Local Council of the state.
The gunmen reportedly opened fire on several people while buying and selling activities were ongoing at the Yantumaki market, with two people dead, including a woman whose head was reported to have been smashed by the terrorists’ bullets. It was gathered that some of the people at the market who managed to escape during the attack sustained injuries and had been taken to the hospital for treatment.
In Tuge village, terrorists killed three persons, including two male residents and daughter of the Councillor of Tuge Ward, Hussaini Ibrahim, and abducted the Dagacin Tuge (village head), Kabir Hussaini, and another unidentified male resident.
The council’s Secretary, Ahmed Surajo, who confirmed the incident to journalists, said: “The gunmen killed three persons, including the daughter of the Councillor of Tuge Ward, Hussaini Ibrahim. They also kidnapped the village head and another person.”
It was further gathered that the terrorists operated for several houses without resistance from security operatives or residents of the area, with several houses either looted or burnt to the ground by the hoodlums.
Spokesman of the state Police Command, Abubakar Aliyu, confirmed the Tuge attack, adding that the attackers also destroyed some property, including a house and two shops, even as he assured that efforts were ongoing to rescue those kidnapped and arrest the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, the Command said it has eliminated five suspected bandits and rescued 100 kidnapped victims in the state.
Aliyu, who disclosed this in Katsina on Friday, April 5, while briefing journalists on the achievements recorded by the Command in March, added that 658 rustled animals were recovered, while 11 suspected murderers and 29 rapists were apprehended within the period under review
He disclosed that a total of 51 major criminal cases, such as armed robbery, kidnapping, culpable homicides and cattle rustling, among others, were reported in the month of March, out of which 30 cases, involving 64 suspects, were charged to court.
He stated that nine suspects were arrested for armed robbery and 19 others for sundry offences, including criminal force, intimidation, incitement, theft and belonging to gangs of brigands.
