Police tactical teams joined forces with the military to rescue 32 kidnapped victims and dismantle a major bandit operation in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Tuesday. The coordinated operation unfolded in Maikujera village, a remote settlement near the Zamfara State border, after the Divisional Police Officer received intelligence about an armed bandit invasion.
The bandits had stormed the community with rustled livestock and dozens of captives in tow, firing indiscriminately at residents as they moved through the area. The Divisional Police Officer swiftly mobilised Anti-Kidnapping Unit and Violent Crime Reaction Unit (VCRU) teams, coordinating with the Nigerian Army's Forward Operating Base to seal off escape routes.
Security forces engaged the attackers in intense combat, forcing them to flee into the forest and abandon their captives and stolen animals. Officers then swept the surrounding bushes and freed all 32 victims.
The rescued group included six adult males and 26 females, mostly children, according to DSP Ahmad Rufai, the state Police Public Relations Officer. The victims are now in a safe location receiving medical and psychological care before being reunited with their families, he said.
The bandits killed four people during their initial assault before security operatives arrived at the scene. Commissioner of Police Hayatu Shaffa expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and vowed the perpetrators would face justice.
Shaffa reaffirmed the command's determination to stamp out banditry and kidnapping operations throughout Sokoto State. He called on residents to stay alert and report any suspicious activity or individuals to the nearest security outpost immediately.
