The police command in Katsina says its operatives have gunned down three suspected notorious bandit kingpins in the state.

According to a statement on Tuesday by Abubakar Aliyu, the command’s spokesman, the bandit lords were killed on Saturday during a shoot out with the police. 

Aliyu said the bandits, in their numbers, opened fire on the police team who were on patrol around Kwarare in Jibia LGA of the state.

Aliyu said during a clearance operation after the shoot out, the police identified the corpse of one Bala Wuta, a notorious bandit leader known for terrorising the LGA and its environs.

He added that other identified corpses were those of Dogo Na Sahura and Hassan Bukuru. 

He said the duo were known for terrorising people in the area.

“Some suspected bandits opened fire on the patrol team, in which the officers valiantly returned fire, forcing the terrorists to abandon their evil plan and fled into the nearby bush,” NAN quoted Aliyu as saying.

“While combing the scene and surrounding bushes, corpses of three neutralised suspected terrorists and a motorcycle which belonged to the bandits were recovered.”

Aliyu said the police are making efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects, while investigation into the matter is ongoing.

The police spokesperson said Aliyu Abubakar-Musa, state commissioner of police, has hailed the professionalism of the operatives, synergy and bravery, while urging them to sustain the tempo.

Aliyu said the police commissioner also called on people of the state to continue providing the command and other security agencies with crucial and timely information on criminal activities.

"Report to the nearest police station or other security agencies, any person seen with suspicious injuries, as some of the bandits have escaped with gunshot wounds,” he said.

Culled from TheCable