The police command in Katsina has foiled separate kidnapping and cattle rustling attempts in Kankia and Charanchi council areas, rescuing two kidnapped women unharmed.

Its spokesman, Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

He said the first incident occurred on Saturday, at about 11:45 a.m., when armed bandits riding three motorcycles attacked Jauga settlement in Sabon Gida, Kankia LGA, and abducted two women.

Mr Sadiq-Aliyu said the divisional police officer in Kankia immediately mobilised operatives to the scene after receiving a distress call. He said the operatives engaged the bandits in a gun duel, forcing them to flee into a nearby bush with suspected gunshot wounds and abandoning the victims.

According to him, the rescued victims were identified as 20-year-old Rukayya Yahaya and 22-year-old Sahura Abdulhadi, both residents of the community.

The police spokesman also said that on Monday, the command foiled an attempted cattle-rustling attack in Majen Waya, Charanchi LGA. He explained that the incident occurred at about 10:00 a.m. when suspected armed bandits invaded the village with the intention of rustling cattle.

Mr Sadiq-Aliyu said the DPO in Charanchi promptly deployed an armoured personnel carrier patrol team, which confronted the hoodlums in a gun duel.

“The bandits were overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the operatives and fled into the bush with suspected bullet wounds. No life was lost, and no cattle were rustled during the operation. Normalcy has been restored to the area, while aggressive tactical patrols are ongoing,” he said.

He added that efforts had been intensified to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects.

(NAN)