The Defence Headquarters and the police have given accounts of how 39 Islamiyya students of Hizburrahim Islamiyya, kidnapped last Saturday on their way from Maulud programme at Unguwar Al-Kasim village in Katsina State, were rescued unhurt.
The Islamiya children were abducted barely 48 hours after troops effected the rescue of 344 abducted students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State, through credible intelligence.
general area, thereby blocking the abductors’ identified routes and frustrating further advancement to their safe haven. On their part, the State Police Command said the schoolgirls were accosted by suspected bandits, who had already kidnapped four persons and rustled 12 cows from Danbaure village, Funtua Local Government Area, trying to escape into the forest. Enenche said the ambush by troops paid-off, as the bandits showed up in no time, leading to a fierce encounter, which forced them to flee in different directions, abandoning the schoolgirls in the process. “Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, in conjunction with Police and local vigilante deployed at Dandume LGA of Katsina State, received a distress call at about 11:30p.m. on 19 December 2020 from locals at Mahuta village that suspected bandits were moving with unconfirmed numbers of Islamiya children, mostly girls and rustled cattle,” the coordinator said. According to him, the children were returning from Maulud programme at Unguwar Al-Kasim village at Dandume, when the incident occurred. He said: “In reaction to the distress call, troops quickly mobilized to the scene, laid ambush and blocked bandits’ route along Daudawa-Kadisau and road Sheme Mairuwa and Unguwar Audu village. “While patiently waiting for the bandits at the ambush and blocking position, troops established contact with bandits and engaged them. “During the fierce battle, troops’ superior fire power forced bandits to abandon the children and the rustled cattle, thereby forcing the bandits to flee in disarray into the forest. “Troops thereafter searched the general area and rescued the 39 kidnapped girls in addition to the recovery of eight rustled cattle.” While assuring that the victims have since been reunited with their family members, he added that troops have dominated the general area, with aggressive patrol to forestall further occurrence.
The Military High Command has, therefore, commended the gallant troops and other security agencies for their sustained successes. Equally, the locals and vigilantes were appreciated for the cooperation in tackling the insecurity in Katsina State.
On his part, the Zamfara Police Command’s public relations officer, SP Gambo Isah, put the total number of the kidnapped victim at 84.
This was as he further claimed that the operation that led to rescue of the abductees, was led by one DPO Dandume.
The police said: “On 19/12/2020 at about 22:00hrs, a distress call was received by DPO Dandume that some Islamiyya Students of Hizburrahim Islamiyya, Mahuta village, Dandume LGA of Katsina State, numbering about 80, while on their way back from Maulud occasion celebrated at Unguwan Alkasim village, Dandume to Mahuta village, were accosted by bandits who had already kidnapped four persons and rustled 12 cows from Danbaure village, Funtua LGA, trying to escape into the forest.
“On receipt of the report, the DPO led Operations “Puff Adder, Sharan Daji and vigilante group to the area and engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel. “Subsequently, the teams succeeded in dislodging the bandits and rescued all the 84 kidnapped victims and recovered all the 12 rustled cows.”
He said search parties were still combing the area, with a view to arresting the injured bandits, and/or recovery of their dead bodies, even as investigation continued.
Coordinator, Defence Media Operations (DMO), Maj-Gen. John Enenche, who made the disclosure, yesterday, said the develop-ment followed a distress call from locals informing troops of the movement of children by suspected bandits. Enenche said shortly after the alert, fighting forces were deployed within the some Islamiyya Students of Hizburrahim Islamiyya, Mahuta village, Dandume LGA of Katsina State, numbering about 80, while on their way back from Maulud occasion celebrated at Unguwan Alkasim village, Dandume to Mahuta village, were accosted by bandits who had already kidnapped four persons and rustled 12 cows from Danbaure village, Funtua LGA, trying to escape into the forest.
“On receipt of the report, the DPO led Operations “Puff Adder, Sharan Daji and vigilante group to the area and engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel.
“Subsequently, the teams succeeded in dislodging the bandits and rescued all the 84 kidnapped victims and recovered all the 12 rustled cows.”
He said search parties were still combing the area, with a view to arresting the injured bandits, and/or recovery of their dead bodies, even as investigation continued.
