*Rescue 80 abducted Islamiyya students
*Six killed, others injured, missing in Kaduna communities
By Williams Orji and Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Even as government rolled out drums over the rescue of 330 students of the Government Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State who were abducted last week, such heinous crimes have recurred as the Katsina State Police Command yesterday said they rescued 80 abducted pupils of Hizburrahim Islamiyya, an Islamic school in Mahuta, Dandume Local Government Area of the state.
This is coming three days after the abducted students of the Kankara school were rescued after five days in captivity.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Katsina State, Gambo Isah, stated that a combined team of security operatives conducted operations that led to the rescue of the abducted pupils on Saturday.
A statement on Sunday by the PPRO stated that the Islamiyya students were on their way from a Maulud occasion at Unguwan-Alkasim, and were between Dandume and Mahuta, when they were ambushed by bandits.
He said: “On 19/12/2020, at about 2200hrs, a distress call was received by DPO Dandume that some Islamiyya students of Hizburrahim Islamiyya, Mahuta village, Dandume, Katsina state, numbering about 80, while on their way back from Maulud occasion celebrated at Unguwan-Alkasim, Dandume to Mahuta, and were accosted by bandits.
“The bandits had already kidnapped four persons and rustled 12 cows from Danbaure village, Funtua, and were trying to escape with them into the forest.
“On receipt of the report, the DPO led Operations Puff Adder, Sharan Daji and Vigilante groups to the area and engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel.”
The statement stated that the security team succeeded in dislodging the bandits and rescued all the kidnapped victims, as well as recovered all the 12 rustled cows.
Isah explained that search parties are still combing the area to arrest the injured bandits, or recover dead bodies, while investigations are on-going.
*Six killed, others injured, missing in Kaduna communities
A woman and her six children were reportedly killed by unidentified gunmen on Saturday, during an attack on Kauru and Lere Local Government Areas in Kaduna State.
Other persons who were said to have sustained injuries and were declared missing.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, in a statement, alleged that the attacks were a reprisal following Thursday’s attack on Gora Gan in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area, resulting in the loss of seven lives and the burning of 13 houses and two shops.
The statement explained that information on the attacks in Kauru and Lere LGAs were passed to the government by the military and the police.
It explained that aggrieved youths carried out the attacks as a result of the killing of seven persons in Zangon Kataf.
It said seven herders were killed in the counter-attack at Ungwan ldi and Kasheku villages of Kauru LGA, while two herders were injured at Ningi village of Lere LGA, and that five persons were declared missing, while six houses were razed, adding that two wounded persons are receiving treatment at Ungwan ldi Clinic.
The statement quoted Governor Nasir El-Rufai as condemning the counter-attacks, and described the killings of Atyap and Fulani community members as unfortunate and could lead to reprisals and escalate matters.
The Governor then directed the State Emergency Management Agency to immediately provide relief for the affected families.
*Katsina again, troops rescue 38 kidnapped victims
Meanwhile, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. John Enenche, in a press corroborated the PPRO.
He said the troops received a distress call at about 11:30 pm from locals at Mahuta village that suspected bandits were moving with unconfirmed numbers of Islamiya children mostly girls and rustled cattle.
“While patiently waiting for the bandits at the ambush and blocking position, troops established contact with bandits and engaged them and overpowered them, adding that the rescued victims have been reunited with their families and the recovered cattle handed to the owners.
He showered appreciation to the locals and vigilantes for their cooperation.
