Police rescue 11 kidnapped passengers in Katsina, recover 25 stolen cows
Katsina Police Rescue 11 Kidnapped Passengers Along Sheme-Kankara Road
KATSINA, Nigeria – The Katsina State Police have successfully rescued 11 passengers who were abducted by armed bandits on the Sheme-Kankara Road in the Kankara Local Government Area.
The incident occurred on the night of May 18, 2026, while the victims were traveling to Kano in a Toyota Hiace bus. The assailants stopped the vehicle at Kakumi Village.
Police spokesperson Abubakar Sadiq reported that officers swiftly responded to a distress call and engaged in a gunfight with the kidnappers. “All 11 abducted passengers were rescued unhurt, while intensive bush combing is ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects,” Sadiq stated.
In a separate incident the same evening, police recovered 25 cows stolen by suspected bandits in Badawa Village, located in the Malumfashi area. Patrol teams intercepted the suspects along their escape route, resulting in a gun battle that forced the assailants to abandon the animals.
Law enforcement confirmed that all recovered cattle have been returned to their rightful owners.
Katsina Commissioner of Police Ali Umar Fage commended the officers involved in both operations and reaffirmed the commitment of the police command to combat banditry and kidnapping throughout the state.
