Police, hunters rescue 13 abductees in Borno
Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of Borno State Police Command in collaboration with local hunters, have rescued 13 people who were abducted at different times within the state and neighbouring Yobe State.
The joint operation that left five of the personnel injured also succeeded in arresting five suspects and recovering weapons.
The police spokesman in the state, DSP Victor Isuku, in a statement he issued yesterday in Maiduguri, said the 13 rescued victims were formally handed over to the state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mamman Durkwa.
He said following a reported case of the abduction of six children last month by the Area Commander in Biu LGA, “The Command striking unit, SARS, and team of investigators were promptly dispatched to the area. The said deployment and the use of undercover operatives led to the arrest of five people who made confessional statements and revealed the location where the abducted children were kept.
He added that last month also, “Through community policing partnership and networking, the Command with local hunters and vigilante members dominated the hostage scene and after about an hour of gun battle with the hoodlums in the forest, near Kumaya village in Buni-Yadi general area of Yobe state, the following arrests, rescues and recoveries were made: two of the hoodlums died following injuries sustained in the gun battle; two AK47 rifles used by the hoodlums were recovered. The six earlier abducted victims were rescued and seven other abducted persons were rescued, bringing the total number of persons rescued to 13.”