Troops tighten noose on abductors of 287 Kaduna pupils
Terrorists have killed two members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps and injured others on Sunday afternoon. The incident happened at Yasore village, Batsari Local Council about 1.00pm when the members of the security outfit were reportedly carrying out patrol and surveillance activities.
According to reports, the terrorists had laid ambush for the security men, which they fell into, and the situation led to gun duel. The two victims were simply identified as Aminu and Ibrahim.
The Guardian, however, learnt that some of the terrorists also lost their lives during the exchange of gunfire and others fled the scene with gunshot injuries.
The two victims have since been buried according to Islamic rites. Late last month, terrorists had killed a member of the security outfit, Sanusi Hassan, who was commanding the Kankara council area.
Hassan and some security operatives, including police personnel, had tried to dislodge a group of terrorists operating around Malumfashi when the incident occurred.
The 1,500-strong security outfit was inaugurated by Governor Dikko Radda in October 2023, to complement efforts of security agencies in combating criminality. They were deployed to council areas with a high record of security challenges, including Safana, Kankara, Faskari, Sabuwa, Faskari, Batsari and Jibia.
Approached for comment, yesterday, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Abubakar Aliyu, and spokesperson for the security outfit, Ibrahim Abdulkadir, did not immediately respond to inquiry on the attack.
MEANWHILE, troops are now closing in on the terrorists that abducted the 287 primary and secondary school students in Kurga, Chikun Local Council of Kaduna State.
With the aid of advanced military technology, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, had earlier pledged at a Ramadan lecture, last week, that the government would deploy technology to locate bandits anywhere they were, to end terrorism in the country.
Soldiers had swung into action in Kaduna, when the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, on the order of President Bola Tinubu, visited the state on Sunday, to lead a rescue mission on the abducted 287 students.
A reliable source, who preferred anonymity, told The Guardian, yesterday: “The troops deployed in the forest for the search and rescue operations have located the position of the bandits and their victims. The movement of the gunmen and their victims in the forest is said to be rather slow because of the large number of children and their relatively young age.
“The COAS reportedly landed in Kaduna to boost the morale of the troops deployed on the rescue mission. The kids are, however, being used as human shields by the bandits making the rescue mission difficult.” There is temporary closure of some schools in the state, for security purposes.
