Police assure of safe rescue of kidnap victims along Kaduna-Zaria highway

The Kaduna State Police Command, says it will ensure the safe rescue of all those kidnapped along Kaduna-Zaria highway on Tuesday.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo gave the assurance in a press statement issued on Wednesday in Kaduna.

It was reported that the police command had confirmed the death of six people in an attack by suspected kidnappers on the convoy of Emir of Potiskum, Alhaji Umaru Bubaram, on Kaduna-Zaria highway on Tuesday night.

Sabo said the attack near Maraban Jos at about 10:45pm, was carried out gunmen in large numbers, dressed military camouflage, who intercepted some commuters along the highway.

He said that on sighting the escort vehicle of the Emir of Poteskum, the hoodlums started shooting indiscriminately at the commuters and took some yet- to- be identified persons away to an unknown destination.

“Upon receipt of the information, the Command immediately mobilized teams of operatives with Armored Personnel Carriers to the scene where some victims of the attack were rescued.

“However, sadly, six persons, including four aides of the Emir were reported dead while five others sustained varying degree of injuries.

“Both the dead and injured victims were recovered and taken to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital for deposition and treatment.

“The Command assures members of the public that, it will ensure the safe rescue of the victims of this ugly incident and calls on the good citizens of the State to continue to support the Command with relevant information that could help the Police to fish out criminals from our midst.” he said.

Sabo added that, the Commissioner of Police CP Umar Muri has directed that more police operatives be deployed along the axis to reinforce the existing operational units of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Anti-Kidnapping and Police Mobile Force personnel currently in operation.

He equally alerted intelligence gathering units in the area to redouble their effort to ensure that the victims are rescued unhurt and the culprits brought to book.

Sabo explained that the police commissioner had visited both the scene of the incident and the injured persons including the Emir at Barau Dikko Hospital and assured them of efforts being made to rescue the victims.