Bandits attack Katsina village, abduct LG vice-chair

Bandits abducted Aminu Umar, vice-chairman of Musawa LGA, during an attack on his village in Katsina.

Speaking with TheCable on Tuesday, Gambo Isah, police spokesperson in the state, said the incident occurred at about 5am on Monday.

Isah said the vice-chairman was kidnapped alongside one Sule Gwanki, adding that they were attacked in Kira, a village in Jimkamshi district, Musawa LGA.

He said the police, upon receiving the information, chased the bandits into the forest, adding that the operatives rescued Gwanki but the vice-chairman is still being held captive.

“Yes, it’s true. Two of them were abducted yesterday. They were abducted but the DPO went after the hoodlums and they succeeded in rescuing the other one, Sule Gwanki, while the hoodlums succeeded in escaping with the vice-chairman,” he said.

“It happened yesterday at a village called Kira under Jikamshi district in Musawa LGA. It happened on the 16th of January around 0500 hours, which was early in the morning.

“We are on it… that is why the other victim was rescued. When we learnt about it [and] we gave them a hot chase into the forest, you know the forest is very vast, it is up to the Niger Republic and also extends to Sokoto, and Zamfara, among others. This is our challenge because of the vastness of the forest.”

The police spokesperson added that the command is making efforts to rescue the vice-chairman and other residents previously kidnapped by bandits.

“Efforts are ongoing and the commissioner of police has already given a matching order to the area commander Malumfashi and Dutsinma area commanders to ensure that the victim is rescued unhurt and alive,” he added.

“Not just the vice-chairman — even the incident at Kankara where seven worshippers were kidnapped, we are also on it.”