Police rescue seven victims of human trafficking in Katsina

The Katsina State Police Command has disclosed that it rescued seven victims of human trafficking at Yankara village in Mai’adua local council area of the state.

The Command also revealed that it successfully repelled an attack by terrorists on Fadimawa community in Kurfi local council area, adding that it rescued several domestic animals rustled by the marauders in the process.

A statement issued to journalists yesterday by the spokesman of the Command, SP Gambo Isah, said the victims and their trafficker were on their way to Libya through the Niger Republic border.

The statement, however, said the trafficker managed to escape along with the victims’ handsets when he saw the police approaching their hideout.

The victims, according to the statement, were aged between 20 and 28 years. The statement read in part: “On 20/01/2022 at about 1120hrs, based on credible intelligence, the Command raided a criminal hideout at Yankara village, Koza District, Mai’adua Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State and rescued the following victims of human trafficking hiding in the house: Success Oshoopkeme, 20, of Asoko LGA, Edo State; Isaac Debora, of Ugunagbo LGA, Abia State; Amoruwa Ade, 28, of Irede LGA, Ondo State; James Rebecca, 20, of Minna LGA of Niger State; Emmanuel Godwin, 22, of Eka North LGA of Delta State; Zainab Tijjani, 21, of Ibadan LGA of Oyo State and Taofik Olawale, 27, of Ibadan LGA of Oyo State.

“In the course of investigation, victims stated that they were brought to the village by their agent, who on sighting the police team, took to his heels and escaped with their GSM phones.

“They further stated that they were on their route from Nigeria to Libya through the Niger Republic border.

“Investigation is ongoing. They will be handed over to National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) office, Kano, for further investigation and arrest of the traffickers.”

The Command added that its operatives inflicted gunshot injuries on several of the terrorists that attacked Fudimawa village.

“On 27/01/2022 at about 0100hrs, terrorist-bandits in their numbers attacked Fadimawa village, Kurfi LGA and rustled unspecified number of domestic animals.

“DPO Kurfi led a team of policemen to the scene and engaged the terrorists in a fierce gun duel.

“The operational strategy and gallantry displayed by the team made them to overpower the hoodlums and recover all the stolen animals. Many of the terrorists escaped with bullet injuries.

“Search parties are still combing the nearby bushes with a view to arresting the hoodlums and/or recovering their dead bodies. Investigation is ongoing,” the statement added.