Police rescue nine kidnap victims on Katsina, two still missing
Nine Kidnapping Victims Rescued in Katsina State; Search for Two Missing Continues
KATSINA, Nigeria — Nine individuals abducted along the Katsina-Kankara highway were successfully rescued by officers from the Katsina State Police Command on Friday. Efforts are currently underway to locate two others who are still unaccounted for following the incident.
According to a statement from the police force, the rescue operation was initiated after authorities received a distress call regarding the kidnapping at Tashar Kanya Village in Kankara Local Government Area around 2:30 p.m. that day. Armed bandits had reportedly blocked the road and intercepted a red commercial Volkswagen Golf III carrying 11 passengers.
The vehicle, driven by a 40-year-old man identified as Aliyu, also known as Maitakabari, was transporting passengers from Dandume to Katsina when the armed assailants abducted everyone aboard.
Upon receiving the report, the Divisional Police Officer in Kankara swiftly assembled a team, including members from the Violent Crime Rescue Unit. The operatives engaged the bandits in a gun battle, compelling them to abandon their captives and flee into the nearby bush due to the police’s superior firepower and tactical approach.
After a thorough search of the area, nine victims were successfully rescued unharmed. They have been identified as Abubakar Ibrahim, 28; Rakiya Ya’u, 30; Shamsiya Ahmad Mahamud, 18; Jumai Majarazu, 20; Salamatu Adamu, 30; Yusuf Halliru, 17; Harira Hamisu, 25; Umma Kabir, 17; and three-year-old Nusaiba Maharazu.
However, two individuals—Buhari Kabir and driver Aliyu “Maitakabari”—remain missing. The police have launched an ongoing search-and-rescue operation to locate them and apprehend the suspects.
Katsina State Commissioner of Police, Ali Umar Fage, emphasized the command’s commitment to fighting criminal activities in the region. He praised the professionalism of the responding officers and assured the public that police efforts would intensify to eliminate criminal elements. He also urged community members to assist security agencies with timely and accurate information.
