A police patrol team in Makarfi division of Kaduna State and local vigilantes have foiled an armed robbery attempt on the Kano-Zaria Road.

The armed robbers and suspected cattle rustlers had barricaded the road with logs of wood and stones early Tuesday morning when the security team disrupted their operation.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the police spokesperson in the state, Mansir Hassan, said the road was quickly cleared, allowing motorists to proceed safely, while efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects continued throughout the early morning.

He said following a shootout, the criminals fled, leaving behind their Golf Volkswagon car with registration number APP 166 DG.

In another development in Rugar Sojidi, a Fulani settlement near Issan Makaranta, Kagarko LGA of Kaduna State, villagers killed a suspected bandit who was a member of a gang that attacked the village to abduct residents.

Police reports issued by Mr Hassan indicated that the bandits had already kidnapped three individuals from the area before the villagers intervened.

“The incident occurred around 01:30 a.m. on Tuesday when the police in Jere received information about armed bandits invading Rugar Sojidi.

” Upon arrival, they found that local residents had already thwarted the bandits’ efforts and neutralised one of them. An AK-47 rifle and six rounds of ammunition were recovered at the scene. All three kidnap victims were safely rescued,” he said.

The state Commissioner of Police, Audu Dabigi, commended the bravery of the officers and assured the public of ongoing efforts to maintain peace and security in the region.