Armed bandits kill 13 security personnel in northwest Nigeria’s Zamfara State
The assault took place late Friday in Adabka village, Bukkuyum district, when bandits staged a large-scale raid and abducted several residents.
At least 13 security personnel were killed in a deadly attack by armed bandits in Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, local officials confirmed on Sunday.
The assault took place late Friday in Adabka village, Bukkuyum district, when bandits staged a large-scale raid and abducted several residents.
A joint rescue operation by police officers and local vigilantes ended in tragedy when the team was ambushed. Eleven vigilantes and two police officers were killed in the firefight.
Hamisu Faru, the MP representing the area, confirmed the death toll and said retrieving the bodies was impossible as the attackers remain entrenched in the surrounding forest.
"They are still hiding in the bush, making it too dangerous to recover our fallen comrades," he told AFP.
Zamfara’s dense forests have long served as strongholds for more than 5,000 bandits, who continue to launch raids despite ongoing military operations since 2015 and the creation of a state-backed militia two years ago.
Friday’s assault is the latest in a wave of violence by armed groups that have plagued northwest and central Nigeria for years.
These gangs regularly raid villages, kidnap residents for ransom, burn homes, and loot property, forcing thousands to flee.
Adabka residents have been repeatedly targeted, with many abandoning their homes for fear of fresh attacks. Resident Aminu Adace said most villagers fled after Friday’s raid.
Repeated peace agreements between government officials and bandit leaders have failed to hold.
Just last month, Muslim clerics brokered a ceasefire with a notorious bandit commander in neighbouring Shinkafi district, but locals remain doubtful about its effectiveness.
Zamfara’s state government has previously armed vigilantes to assist the military in combating the insurgency.
In June, vigilantes backed by Nigeria’s secret police raided a gang leader’s base in Shinkafi, killing about 100 people, according to officials.
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