At least six security personnel, including a police inspector and five soldiers, were killed on Monday in Zamfara State after gunmen ambushed them.
A press statement from the 1 PMF Kaduna, attached to Operation Fansan Yamma (OPFYM) in Gusau, said the officers were on leave, traveling from Bingi Kwatarkwashi in Kwatarkwashi Local Government Area to Gusau when the attack took place.
The statement read: “On reaching Gidan Goni Village via Kwatarkwashi, the officers were ambushed by armed bandits. Inspector Ibrahim and five soldiers were shot dead, while several others sustained injuries.”
The victims were taken to Yeriman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau, where the injured received medical attention and the deceased were deposited in the hospital morgue.
“The squadron is coordinating with the police component of OPFY Gusau to transfer the corpses to Kaduna for a befitting burial,” the statement added.
This attack comes just days after at least seven people were reportedly killed and three others kidnapped in a bandit raid on a border community in Sokoto State. Additionally, a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) blast left five people seriously injured in neighboring Zamfara State on Thursday.
In Sokoto, attackers targeted Kyara village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area near the Niger Republic border in the early hours, killing seven residents and abducting three others. The remote community, which lacks mobile phone coverage, was reportedly stormed by a large group of heavily armed bandits around 4 a.m., causing panic among villagers.
According to sources, “Seven villagers were shot dead during the raid, while two others sustained gunshot injuries. An unspecified number of livestock were also stolen by the attackers.”
The spate of attacks raises questions about the effectiveness of the state of emergency declared by President Tinubu and how insecurity can be more effectively addressed nationwide.
