From Sola Ojo, Kaduna and Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The Kaduna State Police Command, yesterday, confirmed the killing of four people and the injuring of four others when bandits attacked Unguwan Dankali, Zaria Local Government area of Kaduna State last Friday.
The Acting Spokesman for the Command, ASP Mansur Hassan, in a statement, yesterday evening, added that five people were rescued while one suspected kidnapper was also arrested.
Hassan said: “On receipt of the distress call, the Divisional Police Officer, Dan Magaji Division and the Area Commander, Zaria Area Command, mobilised their personnel immediately to the location where six people were found critically injured.
“They were immediately evacuated to the Muslim Clinic Hospital Zaria, where the doctors on duty confirmed four of the dead while the remaining victims were immediately admitted to the said hospital.
“Thereafter, the joint response teams, consisting of the Police, Military, and Civilian JTF, went in pursuit of the bandits, and due to the superior firepower of the security forces, the hoodlums were forced to abandon five kidnapped victims, including Halima Musa, Rukaiya Salisu Ummi Sadisu, Yusuf Musa (eight-month-old) and Aisha Rabiu (two-year-old).
“The victims were immediately rescued and conveyed to the above-mentioned hospital,” he narrated.
Meanwhile, one Mansir Umar, who resides at After Rail Unguwar Dankali, was arrested in possession of several military woodland camouflage wears with strong suspicion to be one of the gunmen who attacked the said community.
The command hinted that a preliminary investigation has since commenced and the suspect is cooperating with the police while concerted effort is being intensified towards arresting the fleeing bandits.
“The Commissioner of Police, Kaduna Command, Musa Yusuf Garba, while commiserating with the family members of the deceased further called on members of the public to volunteer to assist the police with any relevant information that will lead to the arrest of the fleeing bandits.”
Also, the police in Gombe State have confirmed the abduction of two individuals in the Shabewa community of Dukku Local Government Area. The incident, which occurred at midnight, on Saturday, has caused tension and unease in the area.
A resident of the area, Alhaji Sambo Umar Shabewa, who claimed to be a relative of the abductees, Amina Usman Aliyu and Alhaji Mustapha Umar Shabewa, said the gunmen suspected to be kidnappers attacked and raided the village, shooting sporadically into the air, before abducting and carting away with the victims.
Reacting to the attack, the Public Relations Officer of the Gombe State Police Command, ASP Mahid Muazu Abubakar, confirmed the attack and abduction of two people in the community. Abubakar, in a post on the official Media WhatsApp group of the command, assured that the Commissioner of Police, Oqua Etim, had ordered the anti kidnapping team of the command and the operational unit of Dukku Division to trail and rescue the victims.
He said: “The Commissioner of Police has directed the Operational Unit of Dukku Division and Anti Kidnapping of the command to ensure the victims are rescued unhurt”.