Police operatives in Sokoto State, supported by troops of the Nigerian Army, have rescued 32 kidnapped victims after a fierce gun battle with armed bandits in Maikujera village, Rabah Local Government Area of the state.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation followed a distress call received at about 8:30 a.m. on Monday by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Rabah Division, reporting the movement of a large group of heavily armed bandits around the remote community bordering Zamfara State.

The intelligence indicated that the gunmen were moving with several kidnapped victims and rustled livestock while shooting indiscriminately to intimidate residents.

Upon receiving the report, the DPO immediately mobilised tactical assets, including personnel from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and the Violent Crime Reaction Unit (VCRU), while coordinating with troops at a nearby Army Forward Operating Base (FOB).

Security forces swiftly established blocking positions along suspected escape routes to prevent the bandits from fleeing with their captives.

The combined team subsequently engaged the criminals in a prolonged exchange of gunfire, forcing the bandits to abandon both the kidnapped victims and the rustled livestock before escaping into the surrounding forest under sustained pressure from the security forces.

Following the encounter, security operatives conducted an extensive search of the bush and nearby communities to locate victims who had dispersed into the surrounding area while seeking safety.

The operation led to the successful rescue of 32 kidnapped victims, all of whom were recovered alive and without physical injuries.

The rescued victims comprised six adult males and 26 females, the majority of whom were children.

The victims were evacuated to a secure location where they are receiving medical attention and psychosocial support ahead of their reunification with their respective families.

However, Zagazola gathered that four residents were killed by the bandits during the initial attack on the community before the arrival of security personnel.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Sokoto State, CP Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, expressed condolences to the bereaved families and assured residents that security agencies were intensifying efforts to track down and apprehend the fleeing bandits.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state, urging members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.

The latest operation illustrates the growing synergy between the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army in responding to bandit attacks across communities in northwestern Nigeria, particularly along the Sokoto–Zamfara border, where criminal groups have continued to exploit difficult terrain to carry out kidnappings, cattle rustling and attacks on rural settlements. (Zagazola)