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The Katsina Police command has confirmed the rescue of 13 corps members who were abducted by gunmen on their way to the National Youth Service Corps NYSC orientation camp at Tsafe, in Zamfara State.
The Police Public Relations Officer PPRO in the state, Gamba Isah, said the corps members, who are from Ondo State, were kidnapped along Funtua-Gusau highway on March 9.
The 18-seater passenger bus, which the corps members were in, was intercepted by the gunmen who took them into Doka forest along with 5 other passengers.
According to Isah, the police team responded to the distress call of the victims, combed the nearby forest and was able to rescue 14 passengers made up of 9 corps members and 5 others while the remaining 4 corps members and a civilian were taken away by the gunmen.
He said it was the determined effort by the security team that led to the location of the gunmen’s camp on March 11 and rescued the remaining victims while 6 of the kidnappers were killed in the operation.
“On March 9, 2020, at about 23:30hrs, bandits in their numbers, and armed with AK47 rifles, blocked Funtua-Gusau road in Funtua LG of Katsina state, stopped an 18-seater bus with registration number ANK 72 XA driven by one Sanusi Ibrahim of Marafa, Zamfara state.
“The bandits kidnapped all the 18 passengers, comprising 13 corps members and 5 others. The divisional police officer (DPO) of Makera and his team responded to the distress call and arrived at the time timely.
“On arrival, the team searched the nearby bush and rescued 14 passengers made up of 9 corps members and 5 civilians while 4 other corps members and one civilian were whisked away by the fleeing bandits.
“The search party, led by O/C SARS Katsina in collaboration with repentant bandits, led by one Ado Haliru, and other teams went after the bandits up to Doka Forest in Faskari LGA of Katsina State.
“Subsequently, today (Wednesday) at about 09:00hrs, the team succeeded in locating the camp of the kidnappers, engaged them in a fierce gun duel and rescued the remaining four corps members and a civilian.
“Furthermore, the team succeeded and killed six of the kidnappers, recovered one AK47 rifle, one LAR rifle, seven rounds of 7.62mm and 12 rounds of 7.67mm ammunition from the bandits.” He said.
