Armed bandits kidnapped 11 travelers along a road in Kankara on the night of May 18, 2026.
Officers from the Katsina State Police Command raced to Kakumi Village after receiving an emergency call about the abduction. The victims had been heading to Kano in a Toyota Hiace bus when gunmen blocked their path.
Police spokesman Abubakar Sadiq told reporters that officers engaged the kidnappers in a firefight at the scene. "All 11 abducted passengers were rescued unhurt," he noted.
Search operations continued afterward to locate the fleeing suspects across the bush terrain. Authorities intensified efforts to bring the attackers to justice.
The same evening brought another victory for police in the state. Officers recovered 25 cows that bandits had stolen from Badawa Village in Malumfashi area.
Patrol teams spotted the suspects moving the animals along an escape route and opened fire. Faced with gunfire, the thieves abandoned the cattle and fled into the darkness.
All the recovered livestock went back to their rightful owners, the command confirmed. Commissioner of Police Ali Umar Fage commended the officers for their swift action.
He promised residents that security forces would keep battling banditry and kidnapping throughout Katsina State. Patrols would intensify across all vulnerable areas.
