Police operatives engage armed Men in gun battle, rescue kidnapped nine passengers

The Katsina State Police Command has foiled a kidnapping attempt and rescued nine passengers following a fierce gun battle with suspected bandits along the Katsina-Kankara highway.

This is contained in a statement issued on Saturday in Katsina by the Command’s Spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu.

Advertisement

According to him, the incident occurred on Thursday at about 2:30p.m. at Tashar Kanya Village in Kankara Local Government Area, where armed bandits blocked the road and intercepted a commercial Volkswagen Golf conveying passengers from Dandume to Katsina.

Sadiq-Aliyu explained that the assailants abducted all 11 occupants of the vehicle after forcing it to stop.

Advertisement

He said that upon receiving a distress report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Kankara swiftly mobilised operatives, including personnel from the Violent Crime Rescue Unit (VCRU), to the scene.

“The operatives tactically engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel.

Advertisement

“Owing to the superior firepower and strategic maneuvers of the police team, the hoodlums were forced to abandon their mission and flee into the bush,” he said.

According to Sadiq-Aliyu, a subsequent search led to the rescue of nine victims unharmed.

Advertisement

He added that efforts were ongoing to locate and rescue the two remaining victims while intensifying the manhunt for the fleeing suspects.

The spokesperson quoted the Commissioner of Police, Ali Umar-Fage, as commending the bravery and professionalism of the operatives.

Advertisement

He reassured residents of the command’s unwavering commitment to combating crimes and ensuring the safety of lives and property across the state.

The CP urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information to aid operations against criminal elements. (NAN

Advertisement

Prominent Yoruba monarchs and traditionalists have rallied behind the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, following his call for the deployment of ancestral powers to combat terrorism, kidnapping and banditry across the South-West.

The debate was sparked by the abduction of dozens of pupils, students and teachers from two schools in Ahoro-Esinele, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, an incident that has heightened fears over worsening insecurity in the region.

On May 15, 2026, armed terrorists riding motorcycles reportedly stormed Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School and Community High School in broad daylight, abducting 39 pupils and students, including toddlers, alongside seven teachers.

Reports indicated that one teacher was killed during the attack, while another teacher and a pupil later died in captivity. Nearly a month after the incident, the remaining victims were said to still be in the custody of their abductors, triggering outrage among residents and prompting protests by teachers.

Speaking during the grand finale of the 2026 Ifa Festival last Sunday, the Ooni described the abduction as disturbing and unacceptable, urging traditional rulers to play a more active role in confronting insecurity.

“We must bring together our traditional powers, spiritual heritage, and communal values to chase bandits, kidnappers, and all criminal elements out of Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole. Our ancestors stood for justice, peace, and communal harmony, and we must invoke those values at this critical time.

“We must rise collectively against the menace of banditry and kidnapping. Enough is enough. Our people deserve to live in peace and move freely without fear. Traditional rulers must take greater responsibility in safeguarding their communities while supporting the efforts of the government and security agencies,” the monarch said.

The Ooni’s remarks generated mixed reactions, with some residents questioning the relevance of ancestral powers in an era dominated by sophisticated weapons and modern warfare. Critics argued that if such powers existed, they should have been deployed long ago against criminal groups operating within forests across Yorubaland.

However, several traditional rulers and custodians of Yoruba culture insisted that indigenous spiritual mechanisms remain potent and could complement conventional security efforts if given official backing.

The Olojudo of Ido and former Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro, maintained that traditional methods remain effective in addressing security challenges.

“Traditional spiritual means could be used to tackle insecurity and such powers remain effective when properly applied. Our native means are very potent and effective for people who know how to use it and where to do the original thing.

“Spiritual powers still exist among some Yoruba people, and that is why those unscrupulous herders are afraid of Yoruba land. It is not all about guns. Our people have been capturing them even with their AK-47. Our forefathers deployed these powers to protect their communities from invaders but unfortunately we have allowed foreign religions to demonize our way of life.

“People who still have these powers are using it and they are protected. It is something that we have to invest in and encourage the people who have the power to exercise it and use it to protect Yorubaland,” he said.

The monarch further argued that not everyone possesses access to such spiritual capabilities, citing instances where traditional rulers reportedly escaped attacks through means he attributed to ancestral protection.

Also lending his voice, renowned traditionalist Ogundeji Elebuibon said it was possible to secure forests and communities without the use of firearms, provided there was cooperation between governments and traditional institutions.

“It is very possible and doable to protect the vast forest across the southwest without shooting a gun. The potent traditional means of doing so is still very active and available. However, who will go into the forest without government clearance, which is the reason we are advocating that governors in the southwest should convene a security summit to discuss alternative means of ensuring security of our forest.

“There is the need for a holistic discussion with traditionalists and others who possess the ancestral means of protecting Yorubaland. It has been done before and it is possible again. We just need the government to show the will and give us the necessary support,” Elebuibon said.

According to him, traditional security mechanisms played significant roles in protecting communities in the past and could still be useful if integrated into broader security strategies.

The Deji of Akureland, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, also backed the Ooni’s position, saying traditional rulers were committed to exploring lawful means of defending their communities.

Speaking through his media manager, Michael Adeyeye, the monarch said: “The position of the Ooni is sacrosanct and we are not leaving any stone unturned in this respect of deploying our ancestral power to chase out terrorists from our domains.

“However, you know all these efforts are not what we will bring to the full glare of the public for open discussion. We are in an era when most people have lost faith in our ancestral powers and the viability of what our ancestors left for us.

“I can tell you that in the real sense of it, these ancestral powers are still effective and real but we must also exercise caution while deploying them. The powers have their own rules and application mode as well.”

The monarch added that consultations were ongoing with community vigilante groups and other stakeholders to explore legal and culturally acceptable approaches to addressing insecurity.

He expressed confidence that ongoing efforts would yield positive results, stressing that any measures adopted would be implemented within the confines of the law.

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has announced the arrest of six suspected criminals linked to a series of violent crimes across the state, including the killing of security personnel, following a joint operation by security agencies.

The operation also led to the recovery of a large cache of weapons and ammunition, which the governor inspected on Friday during a visit to the Enugu State headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Among the items recovered were 17 AK-47 rifles, one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), a rocket-propelled rifle, a tear-gas gun, 12 AK-47 magazines, two hand grenades, three tear-gas canisters and 1,071 rounds of ammunition.

The ammunition comprised 323 special rounds, 270 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition and 478 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.

Mbah was received at the DSS facility by the state Director of the DSS, Humphery Ohikhuare; the Commissioner of Police, Mamman Giwa; the Garrison Commander of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Garba Suru; and other senior security officials.

Speaking after inspecting the recovered weapons, the governor said the suspects had been on the state’s security watch list and were connected to several criminal activities.

“Recall that sometime in December last year, we had an incident that took the lives of some of our officers. If you also cast your mind back at that time, the state government actually placed bounties on the heads of the criminals,” Mbah said.

“We have before now been able to apprehend some of the criminals who participated in that heinous act. The people we have here today are those who have been on the run.”

Reiterating his administration’s zero-tolerance stance on crime, the governor vowed that offenders would continue to be tracked and prosecuted regardless of how long it takes.

“But we have always said in Enugu state that we have no room for criminals. And if you commit crime here, no matter how long it takes, we must identify you, we must get you, and we must ensure that you are brought to justice,” he said.

Mbah described the arrests as evidence that the sacrifices made by fallen security personnel were not in vain, adding that the state’s investments in modern security technology and intelligence gathering were producing measurable results.

“We can see results with this tracking of criminal elements and cracking of criminal gangs. I am sure the people of Enugu state can now sleep knowing that we have their backs covered,” he said.

“In most cases, you do not hear a lot in terms of the achievements we have recorded because the crimes are nipped in the bud, and it is to the credit of both our technology and vigilant officers.”

The governor also issued a warning to criminal elements operating in the state.

“To the criminals out there, we do not have room for you. I can also assure you that if you come in here and commit crime, no matter how long it takes, we must identify you, we must get you, and we must ensure that you are brought to justice,” he added.

Mbah further urged landlords and property owners to conduct proper background checks on prospective tenants, stressing that the government would continue to prosecute negligent landlords and demolish properties found to be connected to violent crimes.

The governor also commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the push for state policing and efforts to strengthen security institutions across the country.

According to him, the Federal Government has released funds for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of security training institutions nationwide, a move he said would improve professionalism and standardise training among security agencies.