Police Foil Bandits Kidnap Plot, Rescue Nine Victims In Katsina

 

 

Operatives of the Katsina State Police Command said it has foiled a kidnapping attempt and rescued nine abducted passengers following a swift tactical operation along the Katsina-Kankara highway.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, detailing how police operatives engaged suspected armed bandits in a fierce gun duel and forced them to abandon their captives.

According to the statement, the incident occurred on Friday, June 12, 2026, at about 2:30 PM when a group of armed bandits barricaded the Katsina-Kankara Road at Tashar Kanya Village in Kankara Local Government Area.

The gunmen reportedly intercepted a red commercial Volkswagen Golf III saloon car with registration number KMC 400 MK, driven by 40-year-old Aliyu, popularly known as “Maitakabari.” The vehicle was conveying 11 passengers from Dandume to Katsina when the attackers forcefully abducted all occupants.

Upon receiving a distress report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Kankara said he swiftly mobilised a combined team of operatives, including personnel from the Violent Crime Rescue Unit (VCRU), and stormed the area.

“The police team confronted the kidnappers in a fierce exchange of gunfire.

“Overwhelmed by the superior firepower and tactical strategy of the operatives, the bandits were forced to flee into the bush, abandoning several of their victims.

“During a search of the surrounding area, the police rescued nine victims unharmed.”

 

 

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The rescued victims were identified as Abubakar Ibrahim, 28; Rakkiya 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 victims — Buhari Kabir and the driver, Aliyu “Maitakabari” — remain unaccounted for, according to the statement.

The police said an intensive search-and-rescue operation is ongoing to secure the release of the remaining victims and apprehend the fleeing suspects.

Commending the bravery and professionalism displayed by the operatives, the Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, Ali Fage, praised the officers for their gallantry and dedication to duty.

He reassured residents of the Command’s unwavering determination to combat banditry, kidnapping, and other forms of criminality across the state, urging members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information.

 

 

 

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