The abduction of 80 Islamiyya school children by bandits have been confirmed by the Katsina state police command in Mahuta village of Dandume Local Government Area of the state.
This was contained in a statement released by SP Ishah Gambo, the police public relations officer in the state on Sunday.
According to the statement, the students have been rescued while they recovered 12 cattles and 4 persons that were also kidnapped by the bandits.
SP Gambo further stated that two bandits have been apprehended, saying search team are inside the forest to comb the entire area.
Full text:
On 19/12/2020 at about 2200hrs, a distress call was received by DPO Dandume, that some Islamiyya Students of Hizburrahim Islamiyya, Mahuta village, Dandume LGA of Katsina state, numbering about Eighty (80) , while on their way back from Maulud Occassion celebrated at Unguwan Alkasim village, Dandume to Mahuta, were accosted by bandits who had already kidnapped four(4) persons and rustled twelve (12) cows from Danbaure village, Funtua LGA, trying to escape into the forest.
”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.
”Subsquently, the teams succeeded in dislodging the bandits and rescued all the 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 on going.