Nine victims abducted by kidnappers along the Katsina-Kankara highway have been rescued by operatives of the Katsina State Police Command, while efforts are ongoing to locate two others who remain missing.

Security operatives responded to a distress call and effected the rescue following a kidnapping incident that occurred on Friday at Tashar Kanya Village in Kankara Local Government Area of the state.

DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, the command’s spokesman, said in a statement that the incident occurred at about 2:30 pm when armed bandits blocked the Katsina–Kankara Road and intercepted a red commercial Volkswagen Golf III saloon car with registration number KMC 400 MK.

He said, “The vehicle, driven by a 40-year-old man identified as Aliyu, popularly known as Maitakabari, was conveying 11 passengers from Dandume to Katsina when the gunmen abducted all the occupants.”

Upon receiving the distress report, Aliyu said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Kankara immediately mobilised a team of operatives, including personnel from the Violent Crime Rescue Unit (VCRU), to the scene, where they reportedly engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel, forcing them to abandon the victims and flee into surrounding bush due to the superior firepower and tactical manoeuvres of the police team.

During a subsequent search of the area, he said operatives successfully rescued nine victims unhurt. The rescued persons were identified as Abubakar Ibrahim, 28; Rakiya Ya’u, 30; Shamsiya Ahmad Mahamud, 18; Jumai Majarazu, 20; Salamatu Adamu, 30; Yusuf Halliru, 17; Harira Hamisu, 25; Umma Kabir, 17; and three-year-old Nusaiba Maharazu.

Aliyu stated that two persons, Buhari Kabir and the driver, Aliyu “Maitakabari”, are still missing, adding that a search-and-rescue operation is ongoing to ensure their safe recovery and the arrest of the fleeing suspects.

The Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, Ali Umar Fage, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating criminal activity across the state while commending the professionalism displayed by the operatives.

He assured residents that the police would continue to intensify efforts to rid Katsina State of criminal elements and urged members of the public to support security agencies with timely and credible information.

A road accident involving a Benue Links passenger bus has claimed the life of a woman after the vehicle reportedly plunged into a stream along the Ogiladzi–Abakwa Road in Adi-Etulo, Benue State.

The incident occurred on Friday evening between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at Ofyanghan, a community located along the Adi-Etulo axis, according to residents and travellers familiar with the area.

Sources disclosed that the bus was heading towards Jato-Aka when it veered off the road and crashed into a nearby stream. The circumstances surrounding the accident remain unclear.

Residents and passersby quickly mobilised to the scene and assisted in pulling passengers from the submerged vehicle. Despite the rescue efforts, a female passenger reportedly lost her life in the crash.

At the time of this report, officials had yet to release details regarding the total number of passengers aboard the bus, the identity of the deceased woman, or the factors that may have led to the accident.

Neither emergency services nor relevant government authorities had issued an official statement concerning the incident as of press time.

Efforts to obtain independent confirmation and additional details about the crash were still ongoing.

Meanwhile, relatives of passengers who may have travelled on the route have been advised to reach out to appropriate authorities and contact their loved ones as rescue and recovery operations continue.

Two students of Prince Abubakar Audu University, Ayingba, Kogi State, have been arrested following the killing of a 300-level Biochemistry student, David Ocholi Solomon, on campus.

A statement issued by the university spokesperson, Uredo Omale, affirmed that the suspects were apprehended within two hours of the incident and handed over to security agencies for further investigation and prosecution.

According to the statement, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Salisu Usman Ogbo, conveyed the development to the bereaved family in Lokoja on Saturday during a condolence visit.

Prof. Ogbo said, “The suspects were arrested by the internal security of the university, and they have been handed over to the law enforcement agency for further investigation and prosecution.”

He stated that he received news of the incident while attending the 35th Annual National Conference and Convention of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA) at the University of Ibadan. 

“This is deeply painful and distressing, as the news plunged the entire university community into mourning,” he stated.

He further explained that the university was cooperating with security agencies to ensure a thorough investigation and to identify all those involved, stressing that the institution maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards cultism, violence and criminality. He added that security measures within and around the campus had been strengthened, with further reforms expected in the coming days to prevent a recurrence.

Prof. Ogbo also commended Governor Usman Ododo, traditional rulers and security agencies for their support in sustaining peace within the university community.

Responding on behalf of the family, the father of the deceased, Mr Solomon Idachaba, expressed appreciation to the university management for the condolence visit and commended the swift arrest of the suspects, while urging authorities to ensure that justice is served.