The police command in Katsina has killed three armed bandits and recovered 330 stolen animals.

Katsina, President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state, like many other parts in the North is plagued by banditry.

The command’s spokesman, Gambo Isah, disclosed this to journalists on Monday.

“Today, April 19, 2021, at about 04:00hrs, based on credible intelligence, DPO Kankara led a team of policemen to Mararabar-Gurbi, a notorious cattle route used by bandits.

“The bandits were armed with sophisticated weapons, passing with rustled domestic animals.

“Fortunately, the hoodlums, on sighting the police, engaged them in a gun duel, as a result of which, three bandits were neutralised, while others fled into the forest with gunshot wounds,” he said.

Mr Isah added that the police recovered one AK49, 160 cows, 170 sheep, and two motorcycles at the scene.

In a related development, Mr Isah noted that the police, in collaboration with members of a vigilante group, arrested “a notorious arms dealer and kidnapper,” Ibrahim Ma’aruf, 40, of Tashar Bokiti, Runka, in the Safana local government area.

“Nemesis caught up with the hoodlum when he was accosted at a spot between Dutsin-ma and Safana local government areas of the state with 40 rustled cows,” he said.

He stated that the suspect had been on the police wanted list, citing an incident when the suspect abandoned 96 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition of AK47 and N780,000 and fled to escape arrest at a police checkpoint on Dutsinma-Safana road. 

(NAN)