The tactical team of the Katsina Police Command thwarted an attack while rescuing people who had been kidnapped by thugs at Wapa Village in the Kurfi Local Government Area of the State early on Friday, according to SP Gambo Isah, the police public relations officer for the command.
The well-armed terrorists, who number at least 24, invaded the neighbourhood on motorcycles, according to the Katsina Command PRO, before throwing the neighbourhood into disarray and intermittently opening fire.
The police tactical squad was able to quickly intervene and stabilise the situation, killing and wounded numerous terrorists in the attack, according to PPRO.
Alhaji Aminu Wapa and Wada Sale, both residents of Wapa village in the state's Kurfi LGA, were identified by SP Gambo as the two victims who had been kidnapped and were later freed by the police tactical squad that had successfully thwarted the terrorist attempt.
This information was provided by SP Gambo in a statement Friday morning that was sent to journalists in the state.
The statement reads: “Today (Friday)19/08/2022 at about 0100hrs, a distress call was received that terrorists, numbering twenty-four (24), on motorbikes, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles, attacked Wapa village, Kurfi LGA of Katsina state and kidnapped the duo of Alhaji Aminu Wapa and Wada Sale of Wapa village, Kurfi LGA.
“On receipt of the information, the Command deployed its tactical teams to the area and engaged the hoodlums into a fierce gun duel. The team successfully repelled the terrorists and rescued all the kidnapped victims. Many terrorists were feared to have been killed and/or fatally wounded during the encounter.
“A team of policemen are still combing the area with a view to arresting the wounded terrorists and/or recover their dead bodies.
“The Commissioner of Police, Katsina state Command, CP Idrisu Dabban Dauda, appreciated the efforts of the personnel in repelling the terrorists. He also urged members of the public to continue to cooperate with security agencies in the ongoing campaign against terrorists in the state.”