Zamfara State Police Command has said that it has rescued 21 children, including two females, who were among those abducted by suspected armed bandits at Kucheri Village, along Gusau – Funtua Road, on Friday, December 31, 2021 at about 11pm.
At a press briefing by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Mohammed Shehu, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Elkanah, on Saturday, January 1, 2022, the police spokesman said that the command got a distress call from Kucheri Village via Tsafe Local Government Area that armed bandits who were in their large number blocked Gusau-Funtua Federal Highway at Kucheri axis and abducted unspecified number of commuters in five vehicles.
“Police tactical operatives, in conjunction with the military, promptly responded to the distress call and moved to scene, where they engaged the hoodlums in a serious gun battle.
“The police operatives succeeded in rescuing 21 kidnapped children, including two females, who were coming from Rini Village in Bakura LGA to Katsina State for Almajiri Islamiyya School along with their Scholar named Lawali Ibrahim. The said scholar, Lawali Ibrahim, and the driver of their Hummer bus, were among the victims that are currently in captivity.
“The Commissioner of Police has already sent reinforcement of police operatives to complement the effort of the joint security operatives currently working to rescue the remaining victims and apprehend the perpetrators,” SP Shehu stated.
Advising the general public, especially drivers and passengers, to desist from night journey, the PPRO said that the time was being used by the bandits to block the road and kidnap commuters in the state.
He added: “On its part, the Police Command will continue to work assiduously to ensure the safety and security of the citizenry.”
