Lagos, January 1. Nigerian police said on Saturday they have rescued 21 children kidnapped by bandits on a highway in the northwestern state of Zamfara after a gun duel.

At a press briefing in Gusau, the state capital, Mohammed Shehu, the police spokesperson in Zamfara, said the police received a distress call on Friday night, informing that bandits in their large number blocked a highway near the Kucheri village in the Tsafe local government area of the state, abducting an unspecified number of commuters from five vehicles.

Shehu said police operatives were immediately sent to the area and engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle, and rescued 21 children who were heading to their school in the neighboring Katsina state when the attack happened.

Unknow number of victims, including the children’s teacher and the driver of the bus they used, are currently held by the bandits, said Shehu. He said the police have sent reinforcements to complement the efforts of the joint security operation currently working to rescue the remaining victims and apprehend the attackers.

The police spokesperson called on local residents to support the police and other security agencies with credible information about the hideouts, movements and other activities of the bandits. There have been a series of gunmen attacks in northern Nigeria in recent months, leading to deaths and kidnappings. (Xinhua)