Five suspected terrorists have been murdered by Katsina State police, one more has been taken into custody, and 143 animals have been recovered in Jibia and Batsari local government areas.
In a statement to journalists on Sunday in Katsina, Katsina police Public Relations Officer Abubakar Aliyu verified this.
He said that the team raided and destroyed bandit camps in the two impacted local governments as part of an intelligence-led operation.
Aliyu added that the operation was conducted in collaboration with hunters and vigilantes.
“The operation was led by the Command’s Officer in Charge of Anti-kidnapping Unit and that of Special Investigations Bureau (SIB).
“The team succeeded in dislodging several notorious bandits’ camps at Marake, Garin Yara and Garin Labo villages, all in Batsari local government.
“The team also dislodged another camp of one Audu Lankai, a notorious bandits’ leader terrorizing Jibia and its environs,” he said.
He said that five people were slain and one person, 18-year-old Abubakar Idris, a suspected bandit, was detained during the operation. He said that 65 goats, 38 cows, 40 sheep, and 40 sheep had been found at the terrorists’ camps.
According to Aliyu, the police are still scouting the area in case other camp members are found dead or are arrested.
In an effort to reduce criminal activity in the state, he claimed that the police commissioner is urging citizens to keep providing security services with crucial information.