Nigerian police rescue 8 from gunmen kidnap in Katsina state
A member of the Nigerian Military Police sits on an armoured vehicle. PHOTO| AFP
What you need to know:
- The northern part of the most populous African country has witnessed a series of attacks by armed groups in recent months, leading to many deaths and civilians kidnapped.
Lagos. Nigerian police have rescued eight persons after thwarting an attempted kidnap by gunmen on a road in the northwest state Katsina, a police spokesperson said.
Gambo Isah, the police spokesperson in Katsina, said in a statement reaching Xinhua on Saturday that a group of gunmen armed with AK 47 rifles blocked a road at Kabobi village in Batsari local government area of the state on Friday, attacking and attempting to whisk all occupants of a vehicle into the forest.
A team of police operatives were send to the village after receiving a distress call and engaged the bandits in a gun duel during which eight victims were rescued, Isah said.
"Those rescued include a 70-year-old man, a 13-year-old girl, three 12-year-old girls, all from Garin Inu village, Batsari local government area of Katsina state," he said, adding that a 20-year-old mother and her two children were also among those rescued.
The police spokesperson said the police are still combing the area with a view of arresting the fleeing bandits and rescuing the remaining three missing persons after the gunmen attack.
The northern part of the most populous African country has witnessed a series of attacks by armed groups in recent months, leading to many deaths and civilians kidnapped.
