Nigerian Military Foils Bandits Plan to Abduct 39 Islamiyya Girls

By Adejumo Enock

Military troop with the Police and Vigilante Group deployed in Dandume Local Government Area of Katsina State foiled an attempt to abduct 39 Islamiyya girls by suspected bandits.

Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji also recovered eight rustle cattle from the bandits.

He added that the victims have been reunited with their families while the recovered cattles are handed to the owners.

This was disclosed in a statement by the coordinator of Defence Media Operations Maj. Gen John Enenche on Sunday.

According to the statement, “Troops received a distress call about 11:30 pm on December 19 from locals at Mahuta village, that suspected bandits were moving with some Islamiya pupils, mostly girls, and rustled cattle”.

“The children were returning from a Maulud programme at Unguwar Al-Kasim village”.

The statement further reads, “While patiently waiting for the bandits at their ambush and blocking position, troops established contact with bandits and engaged them”.

Enenche in his statement explained, “During the fierce battle, troops superior firepower forced bandits to abandon the children and the rustled cattle, thereby forcing the bandits to flee in disarray into the forest”.

Furthermore, he said, “Troops thereafter searched the general area and rescued the 39 kidnapped girls in addition to the recovery of 8 rustled cattle”.