Police Save INEC Official and Others During Bandit Attack in Zamfara

The Zamfara State Police say they have stopped bandit attacks in Gummi, Talata Mafara, and Gusau Local Government Areas. They rescued an INEC staff member and other captives while also recovering hundreds of stolen cattle.

The police spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, shared this information in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, the attacks started on Tuesday. About 50 motorcycles filled with armed bandits invaded villages in Ruwan Bore District of Talata Mafara Local Government Area and stole hundreds of cattle.

Abubakar mentioned that a woman was injured by a stray bullet during the attack. She was taken to the General Hospital in Talata Mafara and is now receiving treatment.

The bandits then moved to Gummi Local Government Area. They abducted an INEC official named Aliyu Mohammed, who was working with the National Examinations Council.

"The victim had transported examination scripts from various secondary schools in Gummi Local Government Area to Sokoto before he was abducted along the Gummi-Sokoto Road. His official white Toyota Hilux vehicle was found abandoned at Tafkin Area," the statement said.

Police operatives from the Gummi Division found the abandoned vehicle and the examination scripts. They handed these over to Ashiru Umar, the principal of Government Unity Secondary School in Gummi, for delivery to the right office in Sokoto.

Abubakar said the command sent its Violent Crime Response Unit after they got a distress call from troops in Gando Forest. Intelligence showed that many bandits had gathered there with support from Sokoto and Kebbi states.

"The combined security team fought the bandits in a fierce gun battle. Our firepower and tactical response forced the criminals to run away with heavy casualties," he said.

He added, "During the operation, the kidnapped INEC official and another victim were rescued without injuries. Hundreds of stolen cattle were returned to their owners, while some fleeing bandits escaped into the forest with gunshot wounds."

The police spokesperson also revealed that on July 8, the command got another distress call about motorists and farmers abducted at Kwanar Ganuwa in Gusau Local Government Area.

He said operatives from the Violent Crime Response Unit, with help from the Police Mobile Force, fought the attackers and forced them to leave their captives and run into the nearby forest.

"The victims were rescued without harm and taken to safety," the statement added.

The Commissioner of Police, A.M. Bello, assured the public that the command remains committed to fighting criminal activities. He urged residents to keep sharing information about suspicious activities with security agencies.

PUNCH Metro reports that in June, the command also stopped similar bandit attacks in the state. They killed four suspected bandits, recovered a motorcycle, and left others with gunshot wounds during different security operations.