Nine bandits were reportedly killed by troops in Kaduna State in a gun battle while attempting to cross over from the eastern part of the Kaduna-Abuja road to the western part, with a large herd of rustled cattle, yesterday.
This came as six bandits were also killed, yesterday, in a gun duel between security operatives and bandits in Kurfi Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Kaduna State Commissioner, Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said yesterday that the troops acted on intelligence.
He said the herders whose cattle had been rustled from the eastern part of the route alerted the military for immediate action.
He said: “An ambush was successfully laid by the troops, as the bandits walked into the killing zone and were welcomed with a hail of bullets.
“After the firefight, a search of the area yielded the following: One empty magazine, one set of complete army camouflage, one set of desert boots, seven blankets, two Tecno mobile phones, one caftan outfit and ropes for tying cattle. A further search revealed the corpse of one bandit, 16 dead cows and three wounded cows.
“Furthermore, seven more bandits died from ferocious gunshot wounds sustained in the ambush, as their bodies were mutilated. Troops, as of the time of this update, are still conducting vigorous search patrols in the general area.
“In a separate feedback, troops and police this morning (yesterday) foiled another attempt by bandits to cross the Kaduna-Abuja highway with rustled cattle, this time around the Greenfield University.
“The troops, guided by some local volunteers, who pointed them in the direction of the bandits’ movement, engaged the criminals in a firefight. Sadly, one of the local volunteers lost. his life.
“One bandit’s corpse was found with several rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.”
Governor Nasir el-Rufai of the state on receiving the feedback congratulated the security agencies on the successful operations and urged them to sustain the tempo in the ongoing offensives against bandits. He sent his condolences to the family of the volunteer, who lost his life and prayed for the repose of his soul.
It was also gathered that 23 victims, including women and children kidnapped by the bandits who launched an attack on Lambo village in Kurfi area, yesterday, were also rescued after the gun duel.
Spokesperson, Katsina State Police Command, Gambo Isah, who confirmed the incident, said the bandits, numbering over 30, shot sporadically with AK-47 rifles, attacked the village, killed two persons and kidnapped 23 persons (17 women and six children).
Isah said on a tip-off, the security operatives immediately swung into action and laid siege to the bandits leading to the rescue of the kidnapped victims and rustled livestock.
According to him, “At about 02:30hrs on Tuesday, bandits numbering over 30, shooting sporadically with AK-47 rifles, attacked Lambo village, Wurma Ward, Kurfi LGA of Katsina State, killed two persons and kidnapped 17 women and six children.
“Personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force were alerted and they blocked all their possible escape routes.
“Consequently, the teams laid siege for the hoodlums between Ummadau to Kwayawa village and engaged them in a fierce gun duel, as a result of which six bandits were killed, all the 23 kidnapped victims were rescued, 23 cows, 20 sheep, and 31 goats recovered, 12 motorcycles and one G3 rifle recovered.
“Search parties are still combing the area to arrest more bandits and/or recover their dead bodies.