POLICE RESCUE 32 KIDNAP VICTIMS, FOIL BANDITS’ OPERATION IN SOKOTO

POLICE RESCUE 32 KIDNAP VICTIMS, FOIL BANDITS’ OPERATION IN SOKOTO

Four Killed as Security Forces Repel Attack in Rabah Community

SOKOTO — The Sokoto State Police Command has rescued 32 kidnapped victims following a coordinated security operation in Maikujera Village, Rabah Local Government Area, after heavily armed bandits invaded the community.

The development was disclosed in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, who said the operation was launched after the Divisional Police Officer of Rabah Division received a distress call reporting that armed bandits had stormed the village with rustled livestock and several kidnapped victims while shooting sporadically.

According to the statement, police tactical teams, including operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and the Violent Crime Reaction Unit (VCRU), were immediately deployed in collaboration with personnel of the Nigerian Army Forward Operating Base to strategic locations to block all escape routes.

The combined security team engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle, forcing them to abandon their captives and the stolen animals before fleeing into the forest.

A follow-up search operation led to the rescue of 32 victims, made up of six adult males and 26 females, most of whom were children.

The statement noted that the rescued victims have been moved to a secure location where they are receiving medical care and psychological support ahead of their reunion with their families.

However, the attack claimed the lives of four persons, who were reportedly killed by the bandits before security operatives arrived at the scene.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, sympathised with the families of the deceased and assured residents that efforts were ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects and bring them to justice.

The Police Command also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies as efforts continue to rid the state of banditry and other violent crimes.