The Zamfara State Police Command has rescued five women and children who were abducted by suspected bandits while travelling along a major highway in the state.
The rescue was carried out by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, who engaged the armed attackers in a gun duel after encountering them blocking the road and harassing motorists. The exchange forced the bandits to flee, abandoning their captives.
The operation took place during a routine patrol by police operatives after reports from motorists alerted security personnel to the presence of armed men on the highway.
The incident occurred along the Dansadau–Gusau highway in Zamfara State, a route that has witnessed repeated attacks by bandits targeting commuters and travellers.
Confirming the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said the victims were immediately evacuated to Gusau, where they received medical attention before being reunited with their families.
Abubakar quoted the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Balarabe Maikaba, as reassuring residents of the command’s determination to protect lives and property across the state.
“The commissioner urges members of the public to continue to support the police with timely and credible information to enhance security operations,” Abubakar said.
The latest rescue comes amid intensified security operations in Zamfara, including recent Nigerian Air Force airstrikes on bandit hideouts in Tsafe Local Government Area, aimed at dismantling camps linked to attacks and the production of improvised explosive devices along the Dansadau–Magami axis.
