Bandits abducted 13 passengers travelling in a commercial bus along the Jos-Kano highway in Doguwa Local Government Area of Kano State, but police operatives rescued 10 of the victims after engaging the attackers in a gun battle.

The incident occurred on Sunday at about 5:30 pm at the Folgore Forest axis, between Gate Two Safer Highway and Dogo Dutse.

The Kano State Police Command, in a statement issued on Monday by its spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Doguwa Division received a distress call that a Toyota Hiace bus travelling from Jos to Kano had been attacked by armed men.

According to the statement, five suspected bandits armed with machetes and a firearm blocked the road, attacked the bus and abducted 13 of the 20 passengers on board.

The police said the DPO immediately mobilised tactical operatives to the scene, where they confronted the attackers in a gun duel.

“As a result of the swift and coordinated response of the Police team, nine victims were successfully rescued. One other male victim later escaped from captivity,” the statement said.

The command, however, disclosed that three victims, comprising one man and two women, were still being held by the kidnappers.

It added that the rescued passengers were taken to Doguwa General Hospital for medical evaluation and were in stable condition while receiving treatment.

The police said additional tactical teams had been deployed to the area, while intelligence gathering and search operations had been intensified to secure the release of the remaining captives and arrest those responsible for the attack.

The Commissioner of Police in Kano State, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended residents and road users for providing timely information that helped the police respond quickly to the incident.

He assured residents that the command remained committed to protecting lives and property and urged members of the public to continue reporting suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station.

A suspected motorcycle thief, whose identity is yet to be established, was burnt to death by an angry mob at the main gate of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State.

The incident reportedly occurred on Monday after the suspect allegedly escaped from the hospital’s emergency unit, where he had been receiving treatment following an earlier assault.

Eyewitnesses said two suspected motorcycle thieves were apprehended on the hospital premises while allegedly attempting to steal motorcycles.

One of the suspects reportedly escaped, while the other was caught and severely beaten by youths before being taken to the hospital for medical attention.

According to witnesses, the injured suspect later fled from the emergency ward but was quickly tracked down after youths were alerted.

“He was caught again, beaten further, dragged to the hospital gate and set ablaze,” an eyewitness said.

A video circulating on social media showed the bloodstained suspect, dressed in a white shirt, being dragged by a crowd before he was set on fire.

The Jigawa State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.

The Sokoto State Police Command said that, after receiving a distress call that a large number of armed bandits were attacking a community, it mobilised tactical teams, including operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and the Violence Crime Response Unit, to the scene and eventually foiled the bandits’ attack on Tauma Village in Bodinga Local Government Area of the state.

According to a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, a search of the surrounding bushes led to the recovery of five magazines containing 40 rounds of live ammunition.

The statement said the joint security team engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle, forcing them to retreat into a nearby forest with suspected gunshot wounds. It added that no casualties were recorded among security personnel or residents during the operation.

The command further disclosed that confidence-building patrols had been intensified in the area to reassure residents and prevent further attacks.

It also said neighbouring police divisions had been placed on alert and directed to watch out for injured suspects who might seek medical treatment or attempt to hide within their jurisdictions.

The police urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious persons, particularly anyone with visible gunshot wounds, to the nearest police station or other security agencies.