The Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area in Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Bungudu, has been abducted by suspected bandits following a late-night attack on his residence that claimed the lives of four security operatives.
The incident occurred on Thursday night when the armed attackers invaded Bungudu town and proceeded to the council chairman’s home in the Zango area, located less than 20 kilometres from Gusau, the state capital.
According to reports, the gunmen engaged the security personnel stationed at the residence, killing two police officers and two vigilantes before taking the council chairman and some members of his family hostage.
Attempts by security operatives to stop the attackers were unsuccessful as the heavily armed assailants overpowered the security team and escaped with the chairman.
A resident, who requested anonymity, described the operation as swift and carefully coordinated, leaving security personnel with little opportunity to effectively respond.
The resident revealed that the four slain security operatives included two police officers and two vigilantes, one of whom had been actively involved in protecting the community from repeated bandit attacks.
He noted that although the security personnel put up a strong resistance, they were outmatched by the attackers’ superior firepower.
According to the source, the bandits initially abducted the council chairman, his wife, and their children during the raid. However, security operatives who pursued the fleeing gunmen managed to rescue four or five of the children before the attackers disappeared into nearby bushes.
While the chairman remains in captivity, the whereabouts of his wife could not be independently confirmed as of the time of this report.
Reinforcement teams were reportedly deployed shortly after the attack, but they arrived after the assailants had already escaped from the area.
The latest incident adds to the growing wave of violent attacks that have continued to affect communities across Zamfara State despite ongoing security operations.
