The Kaduna Police Command has rescued three staff of Airtel Communications Company kidnapped in the state on Tuesday.
Also rescued were eight passengers abducted on Wednesday afternoon along Kaduna-Zaria highway and nine others kidnapped on Jan. 14 when the convoy of the Emir of Potiskum was attacked.
According to the police, however, two of the bandits were shot dead in Wednesday’s attack.
The spokesman for the Kaduna state police command, Yakubu Sabo, explained that the eight passengers were travelling to Abuja from Kano when their Sharon vehicle was forced to stop by the bandits.
He said the police responded quickly after receiving information from its DPO in Mararraban Jos at about 3 pm that bandits had blocked the Kaduna-Zaria highway and abducted eight persons.
“On receipt of the information, the Command mobilized teams of operatives with some Armoured Personnel Carrier to the area, engaged the attackers, successfully gunned down two of the bandits and rescued all the eight victims unhurt while many other bandits escaped with bullet wounds,” Sabo said.
He gave the names of the rescued passengers as Aisha Umar, Samira Ibrahim Dakata, Safiya Idris, Hauwa Aliyu, Aisha Yakubu, Ma’aru Adam, Safiya Audu and Yahaya Bello, all of Kano State.
Meanwhile, he said police were still on the trail of the fleeing bandits with a view to apprehending and bringing them to justice.
Sabo also disclosed that the police have also rescued three workers of Airtel Communications Company who were kidnapped in Giwa Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.
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He said the workers, Henry Agim, Kamal Raman and Segun Adejimoh, were abducted from Maidaro village in the local government.
However, he said a good Samaritan alerted the police on the incident.
“After a fierce gun duel, we successfully rescued all the three workers unhurt.
“While, on manhunt of the fleeing bandits, our operatives also intercepted nine other captives who were passengers of the Morcopolo luxurious bus that was attacked along Kaduna- Zaria Road on Jan. 14, alongside the convoy of the Emir of Potiskum at Foundation village.
“The victims are identified as; Abdulhafiz Wakil, Abdul Wasiu Jimmoh, Mujittaba, Hajara Usman, Emmanuela Dimka, Dahiru Isa and three others who were debriefed by the Commissioner of Police and supported to be reunited with their respective families.
“The Commissioner of Police, Umar Muri sincerely appreciates the cooperation of the local communities who helped the Command to overcome the current security challenges.”
The Police spokesman urged members of the public to support the police to enable it reduce criminal activities in the state to the barest level.
