By Ayodele Oni
Five police officers have been confirmed dead following a brutal attack by suspected bandits on police personnel travelling from Sokoto State to Zamfara State for a special assignment.
The sad incident occurred on Monday, when the officers were travelling between the two North-West states.
However, the circumstances surrounding the attack and the exact number of casualties remain unclear. All that is known is that their vehicle came under a sudden attack by several armed bandits. Obviously, they were taken unawares as some of them were still sitted inside their vehicle when they were killed.
Reports identified the deceased officers in the situation report as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Lawali Garba; Inspector Tukur Abubakar; Inspector Abubakar Garba; inspecator Abdurrahman Sanusi; and Corporal Yazid Gambo.
The five injured personnel were identified as Corporal Yasir Balarabe, Corporal Musa Abubakar, Operator Sani Aliyu, Police Constable Saifullah Bala, and Inspector Musa Muhammad.
The police personnel were reportedly deployed for a security assignment connected to the APC re-run primary election in the Zamfara North Senatorial District.
They were travelling from Sokoto towards Gusau before proceeding to Kaura Namoda for the assignment when the bandits attacked them along the highway.
Footage purportedly recorded at the scene has circulated online, showing what appeared to be the bodies of some officers inside the vehicle.
Their hands and legs were reportedly tied, while personal belongings lay scattered around the scene. Bloodstains were also visible inside the vehicle.
The reported ambush adds to growing security concerns across Nigeria’s North-West, where armed groups have continued to target security personnel, attack communities, ambush travellers and abduct residents for ransom.
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