- Police Recover Truck, Rescue Victims After Gun Battle With Bandits
- The operatives confronted the attackers in an exchange of gunfire
- Rufa’i noted that efforts were still ongoing to locate the sixth victim
The Sokoto State Police Command, alongside military personnel, has rescued five persons abducted during a bandit attack along the Rabbah–Maikujeru road in the state.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the command’s spokesperson, Ahmad Rufa’i, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Thursday.
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According to him, the incident happened on Wednesday night around 8:45 p.m. when armed attackers reportedly blocked the road, shot sporadically and abducted six travellers in a Canter truck transporting charcoal.
Rufa’i explained that security agencies quickly responded after receiving a distress call, leading to the deployment of a joint team made up of police tactical operatives and troops from the military’s Forward Operating Base.
He said the operatives confronted the attackers in an exchange of gunfire, forcing them to abandon the victims and flee into a nearby forest.
“Security operatives engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel that lasted for some time before the suspects retreated into the forest,” he said.
The police spokesperson disclosed that five of the abducted persons were rescued safely during the operation, while the truck used for the journey was also recovered.
He added that the rescued victims had since been reunited with their families, while the recovered vehicle remained in police custody for further investigation.
Rufa’i noted that efforts were still ongoing to locate the sixth victim, who reportedly ran into the forest during the attack.
He further stated that security agencies had intensified efforts to track down the fleeing suspects, while nearby police divisions had been placed on alert to prevent the attackers from escaping into surrounding communities.
The command also appealed to residents to continue supporting security agencies with useful information that could help improve security operations in the area.
