Bandits dressed in hijabs have abducted 25 persons in the Runka community in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.

A source told Channels Television on Monday, July 8, that the bandits invaded the community on Saturday night at about 10:00 pm, shooting sporadically before kidnapping their victims, who were mostly women and children.

The source said the attackers moved from house to house, breaking in and taking occupants to the nearby forest.

One person who was injured when he attempted to escape has been hospitalised.

The attack is believed to have been facilitated by informants within the community.

“The bandits killed nobody in the community except one person who was shot and injured after he attempted to run. As I am speaking to you, he has been hospitalised," the source narrated.

“They abducted at least 25 people because even among my relatives, twelve persons were kidnapped

"There was no security personnel presence during the attack which lasted for hours until after the incident when an armoured personnel carrier attached with some police personnel was deployed to patrol the area.

“The bandits stationed themselves everywhere in the community. They moved from house to house, breaking and burgling the entrances and taking the occupants to the forest

“During the attack, one of the bandits was overheard having a telephone conversation with an unknown informant telling him, ‘Today, we’ve come to your hometown’.”

The local government chairman, Abdullahi Sani Safana, who confirmed the incident stated that a rescue operation is underway

The divisional police officer (DPO) in Safana has deployed a team to assist in the rescue efforts.