A tragic incident occurred on Monday night along the Sokoto-Gusau highway in Nigeria, as suspected bandits ambushed a police team traveling in a Zamfara State mass transit bus. The bus, en route to Gusau, the state capital, came under heavy gunfire, resulting in the death of five police officers. The officers were deployed from Sokoto to Zamfara for a special duty to provide security for the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election.
According to sources within the police, the officers were on their way to Kaura Namoda Local Government Area to provide security for the APC primary election for Zamfara North Senatorial District. A source at the scene, who gave his name as Uzairu, disclosed that the attackers intercepted the bus and opened fire at close range, leading to the instant death of the officers, while some others were abducted.
The exact number of officers abducted could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report. However, it was confirmed that the remains of the five deceased officers had been deposited at the morgue of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto. The spokesperson of the Office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 10, Sokoto, DSP Abdullahi Faruk, confirmed the incident.
DSP Abdullahi Faruk said investigation into the attack had commenced and promised to provide further details later. The Zone 10 Police Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Ambursa, also confirmed the attack but said he was currently in the hospital and would issue an official statement later. The Zamfara State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer declined to comment on the matter.
Videos circulating on social media showed a white-and-green Zamfara State mass transit bus badly damaged by gunfire, with bullet holes across its body, shattered windows, and bloodstains. Lifeless bodies of some officers were seen inside the bus with hands tied with ropes. The incident has raised concerns about the security situation in the region.
The Sokoto-Gusau highway has remained a hotspot for banditry and kidnapping in recent months, with security operatives often targeted by criminal elements operating in the forest corridor. The police have promised to provide further details on the incident as investigation continues.
The incident is a setback to the efforts of the police to provide security in the region, especially with the upcoming elections. The police will need to re-strategize to prevent such incidents in the future and ensure the safety of their personnel.
Key points
- Five police officers were killed in the ambush.
- The incident occurred on the Sokoto-Gusau highway, a known hotspot for banditry and kidnapping.
- The police have commenced investigation into the attack.
