Kaduna state police in the early hours of Wednesday foiled two kidnapping incidents in two different locations.
This was made known to newsmen by the command’s public relations officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, through a statement he issued and signed.
According to the statement, the first was on April 5, 2022, when the Kaduna Police Command received a report through Divisional Police Officer Buruku stating that on the same date, at about 1400hrs, a distress call was received to the effect that some unspecified number of armed bandits had blocked the Buruku-Birnin Gwari road around Kwanan Ruwa village of Chikun LGA in their desperate attempt to kidnap commuters.
On getting the information, the militants immediately mobilized to the area, and upon sighting the operatives, the bandits started shooting sporadically in an effort to whisk away their victims.
The operational officers tactically engaged them, which eventually forced the marauding bandits to retreat into the nearby bush, abandoning their victims whom the officers rescued unhurt.
The second one happened at about 0045hrs when the Operatives of the command, alongside reinforcements from the Nigerian Army, intercepted some groups of armed bandits who forced their way into the Barakallahu community in their usual criminal manner to kidnap residents.
However, the operatives responded promptly and engaged them in a fierce gun duel that lasted for about two hours, forcing the bandits to rescind their mission and flee into the forest with varying bullet wounds.
According to preliminary findings, no one was kidnapped in the community, and no residents or security personnel were injured.
The four rescued victims were taken to the police station and were later released to their families, while the recovered vehicle has been handed over to the owner upon proper documentation.
As a result, normalcy has been restored in the surrounding area, and rigorous patrol is being increased to prevent further attack.
Meanwhile, the Command is appreciative of the prompt report of these bandits’ movements to security agencies that resulted in the thwarting of these two attempted incidences.
“We urged the public to sustain the partnership to enable us to safeguard our respective communities from these criminal elements.”
