LAGOS, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian police on Wednesday confirmed five bandits were killed in gun battles with law enforcement officers in the northwestern state of Katsina.
Another 15 were arrested during the encounters, and one suspect was nabbed for allegedly going into the forest to treat sick and wounded bandits, said state police spokesperson Gambo Isah in a statement.
The police recovered 69 rustled cows, some quantities of drugs, three locally fabricated rifles with 10 rounds of ammunition, and locally made pellets from the bandits, Isah added.
Banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities have recently become rampant in the country's northwestern region, which has been wracked by years of violence. Enditem