Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Sokoto State Police Command has rescued 32 kidnapped victims and thwarted a major bandit attack in Rabah Local Government Area during a joint operation carried out by police tactical teams and the Nigerian Army.
According to a statement issued by the command, the operation was initiated after the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Rabah received a distress call at about 8:30 a.m. reporting the movement of a large group of armed bandits in Maikujera Village, a remote community along the Sokoto-Zamfara border.
The statement added that the bandits were seen herding stolen livestock and escorting dozens of kidnapped victims while firing indiscriminately to intimidate residents.
Acting on the intelligence, the DPO deployed the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, the Violent Crime Reaction Unit (VCRU), and coordinated with the nearby Nigerian Army Forward Operating Base (FOB), with security personnel establishing blocking positions along suspected escape routes.
The combined security teams engaged the bandits in a prolonged gun battle.
Overwhelmed by the superior firepower and tactical manoeuvres of the security forces, the criminals abandoned their captives and rustled livestock before fleeing into the surrounding forest.
A subsequent search-and-rescue operation led to the safe recovery of all 32 victims, comprising six adult males and 26 females, the majority of them are children.
The victims have been taken to a secure location where they are receiving medical care and psychological support ahead of their reunion with their families.
The police revealed that despite the successful rescue, four persons were killed by the bandits during the initial attack before security operatives arrived.
The Sokoto State Commissioner of Police, CP Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, expressed condolences to the bereaved families and assured residents that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling banditry and kidnapping across the state and appealed to members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies.
