Police, vigilantes to the rescue as gunmen abduct 80 Islamic students in Katsina

Gunmen on Saturday night abducted 80 students of Islamiyya schools and four others in Mahuta town, Dandume LGA, Katsina state, TheCable understands. 

But they have now been rescued, according to the police.

This is coming two days after the release of 344 students of Government Secondary School in Kankara LGA of the state.

The Islamic students were on their way back home after they attended a maulid procession at Unguwar Al-Kasim, a nearby village.

Maulud Nabiyyi is Prophet Mohammad’s birthday.

The students were rescued by a combined team of policemen and local vigilante group in the area, according to the police.

It was gathered that the rescue team engaged in a fight with the bandits around 3am and chased them away.

Spokesman for Katsina state police command, Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident to TheCable.

Isah, a superintendent of police, later released a press statement.

“On 19/12/2020 at about 2200hrs, a distress call was received by divisional police officer of Dandume, that some Islamiyya Students of Hizburrahim Islamiyya, Mahuta village, Dandume LGA of Katsina state, numbering about Eighty (80),” the statement read.

“On receipt of the report, the DPO led Operations Puff Adder, Sharan Daji and Vigilante group to the area and engaged the bandits into a fierce gun duel. Subsequently, the teams succeeded in dislodging the bandits and rescued all the eighty four (84) kidnapped victims and recovered all the twelve rustled cows.

“Search parties are still combing the area with a view of arresting the injured bandits and/or recovery of their dead bodies. Investigation is ongoing.”