The Katsina State police command, yesterday, confirmed that its operatives successfully neutralised three bandit kingpins in Kwarare area, Jibia local council of the state.

According to the command, the operation was carried out during a joint patrol with members of the vigilante group. It revealed that as a result of the exchange of gunshots, the bandits were eliminated and a cache of weapons recovered from the scene.

The Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Abubakar Aliyu, confirmed this to The Guardian. Aliyu said bandits had opened fire on the patrol team.

“The officers valiantly returned fire, forcing the terrorists to abandon their evil plan and fled into the nearby bush. While combing the scene and surrounding bushes, corpses of three neutralised suspected terrorists and a motorcycle, which belonged to the bandits were recovered,” he said.

He said the corpses were later identified as those of one Bala Wuta, a suspected bandits’ leader, Dogo Na Sahura and Hassan Bukuru, who had been terrorising Jibia local council and its environs.

Aliyu said efforts were in top gear to arrest the fleeing suspects, while investigation into the matter was ongoing. Aliyu revealed that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aliyu Abubakar-Musa, while commending the operatives’ professionalism, synergy and bravery, urged them to sustain the tempo.

“The CP called on people of the state to continue providing the command and other security agencies with crucial and timely information on criminal activities. Report to the nearest police station or other security agencies, any person seen with suspicious injuries, as some of the bandits have escaped with gunshot wounds. It would assist the security agents to promptly take decisive action with a view to curbing criminal activities in the state. (The Guardian)