Three people who were abducted by bandits in Kaduna State's Ikara Local Government Area have been freed by police officials.
In addition to the trucks and motorbikes utilised by the bandits for their operations, the authorities also found weapons and ammo.
One of the victims who was rescued, Yusuf Abdullahi Abubakar of Dorayi village in Kano State, was reported missing on September 4 at Barde village in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The kidnappers then demanded a ransom of fifty million naira, according to a statement by DSP Mohammed Jalige, spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command.
On September 9, near Ikara-Tashan Yari road, a police patrol squad found the victim after stopping bandits who were on a motorcycle carrying the three people.
When they realised there was a police pursuit underway, two of the riders hopped off the motorcycle and ran into the woods. The remaining passenger, who was later identified as Yusuf Abdullahi Abubakar, the victim of the kidnapping, was left on the motorcycle.
After searching the motorcycle, the authorities discovered a hidden AK-47 weapon that was carrying ten (10) live 7.62 X 39mm rounds.
In a related operation on the same 9th September 2022, police officers of the Hunkuyi Division while on aggressive patrol along the Zaria-Kano Expressway, rescued two women kidnapped by bandits from Kano state and taken to Kaduna.
They had intercepted a suspicious Ford Mini Bus with Reg No. ZAR 532 XR belonging to the bandits, and the occupants rather than heed the police order to halt for search, engaged the officers in a gun duel. The officers responded gallantly and in the ensuing melee, the hoodlums fled with varying bullet wounds leaving behind two female occupants of the vehicle who were rescued.
Upon search of the vehicle, an AK-47 Magazine loaded with thirty (30) rounds of live 7.62 × 39mm ammunition was recovered.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the two female occupants, identified as Hafiza Haruna and Amina Haruna, are the wives of one Alhaji Haruna of Kwanan Dangora, Kano State who were earlier kidnapped by the hoodlums.