24 abductees rescued in northwest Nigeria

The victims, including a seven-month-old baby, were rescued after a fierce gun battle between security operatives and the bandits on Friday, the spokesman for Zamfara police Mohammed Shehu told a press briefing in Gusau, the state capital. 

Police tactical operatives received a distress call on Friday that a large number of armed bandits invaded Gurgurawa village and abducted some members of the community, Shehu said.

"Receiving the information, the tactical operatives, in collaboration with the vigilantes in the area, swung into action and mobilized to the location for an extensive search and rescue operation," he added. 

"The hoodlums engaged them in a serious gun battle that lasted for an hour" and abandoned the victims at the scene as a result, he said. 

The northern part of Nigeria has witnessed a series of gunmen attacks in recent months, which led to deaths and kidnappings.