The four prospective corps members rescued on Monday morning from suspected bandits in katsina state have opted to do their National Youths Service Corps( NYSC) orientation in the state( Katsina) as against Zamfara state where they were initially posted to.

The four are Ojo David,Ojewale Yetunde,Oladehin Olamigoke and Ade Adegboyega.

The spokesman for the NYSC in Katsina, Mr Alex Oboemeta made the disclosure shortly after the rescued corps members were presented to Governor Aminu Masari at Government house on Wednesday evening.

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Also presented to Governor Masari on Wednesday were other nine prospective corps members who were in the same vehicle with them that was heading for Zamfara for the orientation before it ( the vehicle) was attacked by the suspected bandits.

The NYSC katsina spokesman said all the thirteen corps members decided to do their orientation in katsina in appreciation of the efforts of security operatives and the state government to ensure their rescue.

It was also learnt that Governor Masari gave each of the thirteen prospective corps members one hundred thousand naira as reimbursement for their material losses to the suspected bandits.

The spokesman for the katsina police command, SP Gambo Isah also disclosed that six of the suspected bandits who attacked and kidnapped the prospective corps members were killed by the joint team of police, soldiers and repentant bandits during efforts to rescue them ( the prospective corps members).

SP Isah made the disclosure at a press conference shortly after all the thirteen corps members were later handed over to the NYSC katsina coordinator,Alhaji Ahidjo Yahaya.

The police spokesman who gave insight to circumstances surrounding the kidnap of the prospective corps members and efforts leading to their rescue said;

“On 9 March,2020, at about 23:30 hours,bandits in their numbers,armed with AK47 rifles, blocked Funtua/Gusau Road in Funtua local government area of katsina state ,stopped an eighteen seater bus with registration number: ANK 72 XA driven by one Sanusi Ibrahim of Marafa ,Zamfara state and kidnapped all the eighteen passengers comprising thirteen corps members and five others.

” The DPO ,Makera division and team responded to a distress call and arrived timely at the scene.

On arrival,the team searched the nearby bush and rescued fourteen passengers made up of nine corps members and five others while four corps members and one civilian were whisked off by the fleeing bandits.

“Search party led by O/C SARS Katsina in collaboration with repentant bandits led by one Ado Haliru and teams went after the bandits up to Doka forest in faskari local government area of katsina state .

” Subsequently, today( Wednesday) ,11,March, 2020 at about 9 a.m,the team succeeded in locating the camp of the kidnappers, engaged them in a fierce gun duel and rescued the remaining four corps members and a civilian.

” Furthermore, the team succeeded and killed six of the kidnappers, recovered one AK 47 ,one LAR rifle,among others.

“All the four corps members are from Akure,Ondo state heading to NYSC camp at Tsafe, Zamfara state.”