The Katsina State Government has initiated rescue operations in response to the abduction of 60 wedding guests by gunmen in Damari town in the state.
A group of wedding guests, estimated to be 60 in number and believed to be accompanying a bride to her home, was kidnapped by a terrorist gang in the Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State.
A resident, speaking with our correspondent in a telephone interview on Friday, confirmed that the incident occurred on Thursday at around 9 pm.
Muazu Nasiru, the state Internal Security Commissioner, conveyed through his spokesman, Tukur Ali, that the government had launched operations to secure the release of the kidnapped wedding guests.
The Commissioner asserted, “We are aware of the kidnap incident at Sabuwa and we have launched rescue operations to ensure that the victims regain their freedom. Thanks.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Aliyu, confirmed in a text message that approximately 35 women were abducted by suspected armed bandits.
In the text message, he stated, “A group of women en route to Unguwar Mujiya village, Dandume LGA, from Gamji village, Sabuwa LGA, came back from a wedding ceremony, upon reaching a point between Sabuwa and Dandume LGAs, some suspected armed bandits ambushed and kidnapped about 35 women.
“The command has deployed its intelligence and operational assets towards ensuring the prompt and unhurt rescue of the kidnapped victims. Further developments will be communicated in due course.”
In an earlier report, a source informed our correspondent that three local security volunteers lost their lives in the impromptu rescue effort during the incident.
The source disclosed, “Most of those the hoodlums attacked and abducted were those who were already crowded and riding in an open van called canter vehicle.
“The victims were initially over 70, mostly friends of the bride, but several others escaped after jumping off the moving canter van when the terrorists hijacked the van and took over the driving of the van,” the source stated.
Our correspondent gathered that the Sabuwa area, where the abduction occurred, is not only an agrarian area, but also one of the local government areas heavily plagued by bandit activities in the state.
The Chairman of Dandume Local Government Council, Alhaji Basiru Musa, confirmed the incident and vowed to verify and provide updates amid unconfirmed reports suggesting that a few kidnapped women managed to escape.
He clarified that although the women were from Dandume, the criminals intercepted them on their way from Sabuwa Local Government Area at about 9 pm.
Around the same time, there were reports of gunmen from the Siddi forest infiltrating Tashar Nadaya, near the Gazari district border in Sabuwa LGA. The criminals reportedly killed a commercial motorcycle rider and stole his bike. Furthermore, they opened fire on a group of four individuals and confiscated their motorcycles.
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