FIVE bandits were confirmed killed on Wednesday evening during an encounter between their gang and the police in Kurfi Local Government Area of Katsina state.
Sources revealed that the bandits numbering over 150 had stormed Wurma and Yarbudu villages in the council.
A team of riot policemen stationed at Wurma village, however, reportedly confronted the bandits to repel the invasion.
Police sources said one bandit died in the fierce encounter which ensued.
It was further learnt that another police team led by the Area Commander, Dutsin-ma blocked the exit route of the fleeing bandits at Yarbudu village resulting in another fierce encounter between the police team and the bandits.
Four bandits died in the encounter while others were said to have fled into the forest with various gunshot wounds.
The spokesman for the Katsina Police Command, Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident on Thursday.
Days our children spent in bandits’ dens in Katsina, Niger, others were the most traumatic of our lives –Parents
He said the police also recovered six of the motorcycles used by the bandits during the invasion.
Isah explained, “A team of Police Mobile Force personnel stationed at Wurma village engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun battle and repelled their attack. One was neutralised and many escaped with gunshots wounds. One operational motorcycle of the bandits was also recovered.
“A team of policemen led by Area Commander, Dutsin-ma, blocked the escape route of the bandits at Yarbudu village and engaged them in a gun duel.
“In the course of profiling the scene, four bandits were neutralised and five of their motorcycles were recovered.”
