Bandits abduct three, injure five in Katsina

Unidentified gunmen suspected to be bandits in their numbers attacked Magamar Jibia border town in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State, kidnapping at least three persons and leaving five others injured.

It was gathered that the bandits were armed with sophisticated guns including AK-47 rifles.

A member of the Jibia Security Committee, who spoke to newsmen on Thursday, said that the bandits overpowered the security personnel who were deployed to repel them.

According to him, the hoodlums stormed the area on Wednesday night at about 11:45 pm, shooting sporadically to scare the residents, most of whom were preparing to go to bed for sleep.

The resident called on Jibia vigilante group commanders to always mobilise themselves and patrol Kagadama, Magama, Kaga, Faru, Rijiyar Malamai, Mai Kwari, and Jibiyar Maje including Bayan Asibiti community.

He insisted that the general public must stand firm to confront the bandits.

“The bandits were in large numbers, they attacked the Magama Area and shot three persons and kidnapped three persons as well.

“People should stop sleeping, especially those around the Jibia to keep an eye on the movement of the criminal elements for security personnel to know where and when to start.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, according to the eyewitness, another bandits’ gang similarly attacked the Katsina-Jibia major road where several bandits were reportedly neutralised as a result of an encounter with soldiers.

Eventually, an AK-47 rifle belonging to the hoodlums and their motorcycle were recovered.

“Two soldiers were seriously injured in the operation”, the eyewitness said.

The spokesman of the Katsina State Police Command, ASP Abubakar Sadiq, confirmed the attack on Thursday.

He revealed that the police had earlier deployed a team of officers to the scene where they repelled the attack and rescued three abducted persons unhurt.