Armed men on Saturday ambushed students of an Islamic school (Islamiyya) in Katsina during a celebration and abducted 80 of them.
The kidnap occurred in Dandume Local Government Area of Katsina.
Residents said the kidnap occurred around 11:20 p.m. at Mahuta community while the victims, mostly young girls, were on a procession celebrating the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.
Newsonspot.com.ng reports that this is coming fews days after the release of 344 students of Government Secondary School in Kankara LGA of the state.
The Islamic students were on their way back home after they attended a maulid procession at Unguwar Al-Kasim, a nearby village.
It was gathered that the students were rescued from the bandits by a combined team of policemen and local vigilante group in the area, according to the police.
Confirming the incident to The Cable, Spokesman for Katsina state police command, Gambo Isah, said the rescue team engaged in a fight with the bandits around 3am and chased them away.
In a statement to newsmen, Isah said: “On 19/12/2020 at about 2200hrs, a distress call was received by divisional police officer of Dandume, that some Islamiyya Students of Hizburrahim Islamiyya, Mahuta village, Dandume LGA of Katsina state, numbering about Eighty (80) were abducted.
He said they were abducted while on their way back from the Maulud occasion celebrated at Unguwan Alkasim village, Dandume.
“On receipt of the report, the DPO led Operations Puff Adder, Sharan Daji and Vigilante group to the area and engaged the bandits into a fierce gun duel. Subsequently, the teams succeeded in dislodging the bandits and rescued all the eighty four (84) kidnapped victims and recovered all the twelve rustled cows and were trying to escape into the forest.
“Search parties are still combing the area with a view of arresting the injured bandits and/or recovery of their dead bodies.
Investigation is ongoing.”
