By Musa Ubandawaki
Sokoto State Police Command has recorded another breakthrough in its ongoing offensive against banditry, rescuing 32 kidnapped victims and thwarting a large-scale criminal operation during a coordinated security response in Rabah Local Government Area of the state.
The successful operation, carried out on Monday at Maikujera Village, a remote settlement bordering Zamfara State, followed credible intelligence indicating that a heavily armed gang of bandits was moving through the area with kidnapped victims and rustled livestock while attacking residents.
According to the Police, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Rabah received a distress call at about 8:30 a.m., reporting that the armed bandits had invaded the community, firing indiscriminately into the air and at fleeing residents as they attempted to escape with their captives.
Acting swiftly on the intelligence, the DPO mobilised all available tactical assets, including operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and the Violent Crime Reaction Unit (VCRU), while also coordinating with troops of the nearby Army Forward Operating Base (FOB).
The combined security forces immediately mounted strategic blocking positions along identified escape routes around the village, effectively cutting off possible exit corridors and preventing the criminals from fleeing with their victims.
Security operatives subsequently engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle that lasted for a considerable period, forcing the attackers to retreat under sustained pressure from the superior firepower and coordinated tactical manoeuvres of the joint security team.
Unable to withstand the security offensive, the fleeing bandits abandoned both their kidnapped victims and rustled livestock before escaping into nearby forests.
Following the operation, security personnel conducted an extensive search and rescue mission across the surrounding bush paths and neighbouring communities, successfully locating and evacuating all the abandoned hostages.
Police confirmed that a total of 32 kidnapped victims were rescued unhurt. The victims comprised six adult males and 26 females, the majority of whom were children.
The rescued victims have since been evacuated to a secure location where they are receiving medical attention, trauma care and other humanitarian support ahead of their reunification with their respective families.
Despite the successful rescue mission, the Command disclosed that four residents were tragically killed by the bandits during the initial assault on the community before the arrival of security personnel.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Sokoto State, CP Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, expressed profound sympathy to the bereaved families and assured residents that intensive operations were underway to track down and apprehend the fleeing criminals, stressing that those responsible would be brought to justice.
The Police Command reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to dismantling criminal networks responsible for banditry and kidnapping across Sokoto State. It also appealed to members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to strengthen ongoing efforts aimed at restoring lasting peace and security across the state.
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