Operatives of the Kano State Police Command has rescued nine passengers abducted during an attack on a commercial bus along the Jos-Kano highway in Doguwa Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Kano, saying the incident occurred on July 26 at about 5:30 p.m.
Kiyawa said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Doguwa Division, received a distress call that a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number BKK 6824 XA, travelling from Jos to Kano, was attacked at Folgore Forest axis, between Gate Two Safer Highway and Dogo Dutse.
He said five suspected armed bandits, armed with machetes and a firearm, blocked the highway, attacked the vehicle and abducted 13 out of the 20 passengers on board.
“Upon receipt of the information, the DPO immediately mobilised tactical police operatives who proceeded to the scene and engaged the attackers in a gun duel,” he said.
The spokesperson said the swift response of the police led to the rescue of nine victims, while another male passenger later escaped from captivity.
He added that three victims, comprising one male and two females, were still being held by the abductors.
According to him, the rescued passengers were evacuated to Doguwa General Hospital for medical evaluation and are currently in stable condition.
Kiyawa said the command had intensified operations, including deployment of additional tactical teams and intelligence gathering, to rescue the remaining victims and arrest the perpetrators.
He quoted the Commissioner of Police in Kano, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, as commending members of the public for providing timely information that aided the rescue operation.
Bakori assured residents of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, urging the public to continue reporting suspicious activities to security agencies.
He said investigation into the incident was ongoing, adding that further updates would be communicated to the public. (NAN)
