The Katsina police command has disclosed that it foiled an attack by gunmen on Kirijam village in Mahuta community, Dandume LGA of the state.
This was contained in a statement released on Friday by the police public relations officer in the state, Gambo Isa.
According to him, the gunmen who were armed with AK-47 rifles invaded the community and attempted to abduct some residents.
“On July 1, at about 11.00 p.m., bandits in their numbers, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles, attacked Kirijam village, Mahuta Ward of Dandume LGA and kidnapped nine persons,” the statement reads.
“On receipt of the report, the DPO of Dandume Division led a team of policemen and blocked their possible exit route at Kadawan Maikomo village, in Sabuwa LGA.”
According to NAN, Isa said the “bandits” took a bush path but were ambushed by police officers, who engaged them “in a fierce gun duel and successfully repelled the attack”.
“The doggedness, uncommon courage and tactical operational strategy adopted by the Police officers made the bandits flee into the forest with varying degrees of bullet wounds,” he said.
“In the course of profiling the scene, all the nine abducted persons were rescued unhurt and some GSM phones and food items stolen from the village by the hoodlums were also recovered.”
He urged residents to cooperate with security agencies through the provision of credible information on the activities of bandits.
“The public should assist the security agencies with credible information, especially on those supplying criminals with arms and ammunition, informants and other essential commodities,” he said.
“The Command assures members of the public that they remain resolute and committed in the ongoing fight against recalcitrant bandits until they are arrested and dealt with according to the extant laws of the land.”