Bandits kill 10 security personnel in Zamfara
Tragedy struck in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State as six operatives of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards popularly known as Askarawa, and four local vigilantes were killed in an ambush by bandits.
The attack occurred on Saturday following a successful joint security operation led by the Nigerian Army against criminal elements in Sunke Forest.
Governor Dauda Lawal disclosed in a Facebook post on Sunday that security forces, including the CPG operatives and Nigerian Army personnel, raided the hideouts of the bandits in Sunke Forest.
The operation resulted in the neutralization of several bandits and the recovery of their weapons.
However, as the team was making its way back, it was ambushed by gunmen around the Bagega axis.
The assailants opened fire on the returning security operatives, leading to the tragic loss of ten lives.
Among the deceased were six members of the Community Protection Guards and four local vigilantes, also known as ‘Yan Sakai.’
Additionally, three individuals remain missing—two CPG operatives and one vigilante.
Dauda Lawal Reacts
Confirming the incident, Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, expressed his deep sorrow over the killings.
In a statement written in Hausa and shared on his verified Facebook page, the governor lamented the loss of lives and extended prayers for the deceased.
It read, “I received the heartbreaking news that bandits ambushed some members of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards in Anka Local Government.
“The incident followed a security operation where our forces, alongside the Nigerian Army, attacked the bandits’ hideouts, successfully neutralizing several of them and recovering weapons.”
Lawal further noted, “On their way back, they were attacked in Bagega, resulting in the killing of six CPG operatives and four vigilantes.
“Their burial was conducted on Sunday morning. Three individuals are still missing.
“Upon receiving this distressing news, I directed that immediate medical assistance be provided to the injured and relief materials be given to the families of those who lost their lives.”
He prayed for the repose of the deceased’s souls and sought divine intervention to bring an end to the ongoing security crisis plaguing Zamfara State and the entire nation.
Zamfara State has been one of the hardest-hit regions in Nigeria’s northwest and north-central areas, grappling with the persistent menace of banditry, PUNCH Online reports.
