Nigeria Police operatives have killed a leader of a bandit gang who specialise in kidnapping in Jigawa State.
The bandit leader, identified as Abdullahi Bummi, was killed during a raid on bandit den in Gallu, Yankwashi Local Government Area of the State.
The Police also said its officers rescued a 65-year-old captive during the operation which was carried out by officers of the Katsina and Jigawa Police Commands.
The Katsina State Police Spokesperson, SP Gambo Isah, told journalists at the Command headquarters in Katsina, that the victim, Hajiya Hasana Zubairu, was kidnapped on June 29, 2021, from her village, Rijiyar Tsamiya, Sandamu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
He said the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N500m from the victim’s family.
“When we got the report about the abduction, our OC anti-kidnap unit in collaboration with our colleagues in Jigawa State swung into action,” he said.
He said the leader of the bandits, Abdullahi Bummi, 50, who engaged the Police officers in a gun battle, attempted to escape with the victim on a motorbike but was over-powered and gunned down by the police.
Isah said search parties were still combing the forest with the view to apprehending other members of the gang.
A family member of the victim, Alhaji Rabiu Zubairu, said the family had offered up to N2.7m to the abductors for the release of the victim but they insisted on getting more.