Police operatives have killed one member of a bandit gang while foiling an attack planned by the bandits on vulnerable communities in Katsina State.
The bandit was killed after police officers engaged the gang in a gun battle, forcing the attackers to retreat from the area, with the operation also disrupting their plan to attack residents.
A statement released on Thursday by the Katsina police command said the incident occurred at about 6 p.m. on Wednesday around Dansarai and Kamfani villages in Malumfashi Local Government Area of the state, after receiving distress calls from residents.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, the Malumfashi Divisional Police Officer quickly mobilised operatives, supported by personnel from the Violent Crime Response Unit, following the distress calls.
He said the police operatives positioned themselves strategically before confronting the attackers, adding that the officers’ superior tactics and firepower forced the criminals to flee in disarray.
“During a subsequent search of the area, the body of one suspected bandit who was neutralised during the encounter was recovered,” Sadiq-Aliyu said.
The police spokesperson added that officers had intensified efforts to locate and apprehend the fleeing members of the gang.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Katsina, Ali Umar-Fage, praised the personnel involved in the operation for their courage and professionalism.
Umar-Fage also reiterated the command’s determination to protect residents and their property, while urging members of the public to provide timely and credible information about suspicious activities to enable security agencies to respond quickly.