An Air force jet which hovered over parts of Rugu forest in Katsina State reportedly scared away bandits and led to the escape of 20 kidnapped victims, including 10 women.

Sharing their ordeal to newsmen at the Hajj camp in Katsina on Saturday, the victims said they spent five months in the bandits’ enclave.

The escapees included 10 women, eight girls, a middle aged man and a boy.

Rabiu Mannir, 27, said the bandits heard the roar of jets Friday night and scampered to safety, a situation that gave them (victims) the chance to escape.

“We were sitting as usual with a few of the bandits boys who were guarding us when we heard the jet. They started running and when I saw them running, I began to unlock the padlock with which they locked my legs and begun to run,” he said.

One of the escapees, Mannir, added that he asked the women to pick their children so that they could all run for their freedom.

(Daily Trust)