KATSINA: Police kill one bandit, recover AK-47 in Safana LG

MEN of the State Police Command recorded another success in their battle against banditry and allied criminality, yesterday, when they killed a brigand and recovered one AK-47 rifle during a gun duel with a group of bandits in the state.

The incident was said to have happened along the Runka-Baure axis of the Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The exchange of gunfire happened when the police team attached to Safana police division were on routine patrol around 12.30am yesterday and ran into a five-member gang of bandits.

The police spokesman in the state, Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident on Wednesday in a statement.

He said, “On Tuesday, 9/03/2021 at about 12:30hrs, Police patrol team attached to Safana Division while on routine patrol along Runka to Baure axis, exactly after Garin Tambari before reaching Illela Village had an encounter with bandits numbering about five, armed with AK-47 riffles.

“The team engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel as a result of which one of the bandits was neutralised and his AK-47 rifle with 2 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition were recovered. Investigation is ongoing.”

In a related development, the police spokesman confirmed the arrest of one Lawal Umar alleged to be a bandit and a member of a notorious kidnap gang.

According to the police spokesman, Umar confessed to have participated in the kidnap of village head of Radda in Charanchi Local Government Area.

Umar’s gang was alleged to have shot and killed the 60-year-old younger brother of the village head, one Aminu Umar.