Police kill ‘six kidnappers’, rescue 13 corps members in Katsina

The Katsina police command says it rescued 13 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) that were abducted by gunmen on March 9.

Gamba Isah, the police public relations officer (PPRO) in the state, said the corps members, who are from Ondo state, were kidnapped along Funtua-Gusua highway on their way to the NYSC camp at Tsafe, Zamfara state.

The gunmen were said to have intercepted their 18-seater bus and took them into Doka forest along with five other passengers.

He said the police team responded to the distress call of the victims, combed the nearby forest and was able to rescue 14 passengers made up of nine NYSC members and five others while the remaining four corps members and a civilian were whisked away by the gunmen.

He, however, said the security search yielded results on March 11 when the team located the camp of the gunmen and rescued the remaining victims.

He added that six of the kidnappers were killed during the rescue operation.

“On March 9, 2020, at about 23:30hrs, bandits in their numbers, and armed with AK47 rifles, blocked Funtua-Gusau road in Funtua LG of Katsina state, stopped an 18-seater bus with registration number ANK 72 XA driven by one Sanusi Ibrahim of Marafa, Zamfara state,” Isah said.

“The bandits kidnapped all the 18 passengers, comprising 13 NYSC members and five others. The divisional police officer (DPO) of Makera and his team responded to the distress call and arrived at the time timely.

“On arrival, the team searched the nearby bush and rescued 14 passengers made up of nine NYSC members and five civilians while four other corps members and one civilian were whisked away by the fleeing bandits.

“The search party, led by O/C SARS Katsina in collaboration with repentant bandits, led by one Ado Haliru, and other teams went after the bandits up to Doka Forest in Faskari LGA of Katsina State.

“Subsequently, today (Wednesday) at about 09:00hrs, the team succeeded in locating the camp of the kidnappers, engaged them in a fierce gun duel and rescued the remaining four NYSC members and a civilian.

“Furthermore, the team succeeded and killed six of the kidnappers, recovered one AK47 rifle, one LAR rifle, seven rounds of 7.62mm and 12 rounds of 7.67mm ammunition from the bandits.”