The Zanfara State Police Command has on Saturday said it has rescued 24 kidnap victims and recovered 7 motorcycles in a ferocious gun shot with bandits at Gurgurawa village of Bungudu Local Government of the state.
SP Mohammed Shehu, Police Public relations Officer Zamfara State Command disclosed this in a press statement made available to reporters in Gusau.
He said the feat was achieved through collaboration with local vigilante groups in the area.
He said among the rescued victims, 14 are women while 10 others scampered for safety when the gunshots became fierce between police and the bandits, stating that they escaped back to the village unhurt. They are reunited with their families.
“On 18th February 2022 at about 2300hrs, Police Tactical Operatives attached to 42 PMF Squadron Gusau, on Anti – Banditry Operations along Gurgurawa axis in Bungudu LGA, received a distress call that, armed bandits in large number have invaded Gurgurawa village and abducted some community members.
“On receiving the information, the Tactical Operatives in Collaboration with the Vigilante group of the area swung into action and mobilized to the location for an extensive search and rescue operation.
“On sighting the operatives, the hoodlums started shooting sporadically but were repelled by the operatives. As a result of the superior firepower of the Tactical operatives, the hoodlums fled and abandoned the victims,” he said.
SP Shehu said that the Zanfara State Commissioner of Police, CP Ayuba N. Elkanah has commended the resilience of the operatives and enjoins them to sustain the tempo while assuring members of the public of Police continuous commitment to end the lingering security challenges bedevilling the state.
Zamfara State has become the theatre of operation for bandits in the northwest. Many communities have been ransacked with hundreds of people killed, kidnapped and millions of naira collected from citizens as a ransom of levy by the bandits.
Babaji Usman Babaji is an investigative journalist with over four years of experience, renowned for his impactful reporting on corruption, human rights violations, and holding those in power accountable in Nigeria.
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