Suspected armed bandits have allegedly kidnapped 15 passengers while travelling in a commercial J5 bus with registration number KZR 345ZT in Katsina State.
The passengers were abducted on Sunday night along the Tsakskiya-Ummadau road in Safana local government area of Katsina State.
IDOMA VOICE gathered that the bandits numbering over 20 ambushed the vehicle conveying the passengers when they were on their way back from Jibia market.
However, Aliyu Rumawa, who was at the scene of the incident, explained that the bandits upon seeing the vehicle, started shooting sporadically into the air to frighten the victims before unveiling their mission.
Rumawa, who expressed shock over what he described as the audacious activities of bandits in the state, said: “Fifteen out of the 18 passengers in the bus were taken away by the bandits.’’ , numbering about 20 and were heavily armed. The passengers were returning from Jibia market and most of them were traders.”
He then urged the security agencies to intensify surveillance in villages and communities in Safana LGA and other front line local government areas of the state in order to ward off banditry, kidnapping and other nefarious activities bedeviling the state.
Meanwhile, the state police spokesman, Gambo Isah, while confirming the incident, said only nine passengers were abducted by the hoodlums and four had been rescued by the troop of the operation Puff Adder.